Michigan synagogue car-ramming suspect bought $2,000 worth of fireworks before attack

Michigan Synagogue Car-Ramming Suspect Purchased $2,000 in Fireworks Prior to Attack

Federal authorities stated that Ayman Mohamad Ghazali executed the antisemitic car-ramming attack at a Detroit-area synagogue two days prior. According to Phantom Fireworks, the suspect visited one of its stores in the Detroit region on March 10 at 1:39 p.m., spending roughly 45 minutes inside before leaving with over $2,000 in explosives. The company confirmed this exclusively to NBC News.

Attack Details and Aftermath

Days later, Ghazali allegedly crashed his pickup into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, igniting a fire during a preschool session. No children or staff were harmed, though 63 law enforcement officers were hospitalized from smoke inhalation. Ghazali, a Dearborn Heights resident, was found dead post-attack. The FBI verified his identity as the perpetrator, though earlier suspicions were based on circumstantial evidence due to his severely burned body.

“He certainly had no appearance of nervousness,” said Alan Zoldan, Phantom Fireworks’ executive vice president. “He was going to be celebrating Eid, you know, the end of the Ramadan.”

Officials highlighted that Ghazali had no prior criminal record, no registered weapons, and had never been part of an FBI investigation. Jennifer Runyan, the Detroit field office’s special agent in charge, noted the ongoing inquiry into the attack’s motive, describing it as a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.” She also clarified that the incident was not linked to a Virginia university shooting earlier this week, which involved a man with a history of ISIS support.

Family Losses and Potential Hezbollah Ties

Local Michigan officials revealed that Ghazali, a U.S. citizen of Lebanese origin, lost several relatives in an Israeli airstrike on his family’s home in Lebanon. The strike killed two of his brothers, Hezbollah members, and his niece and nephew. The FBI is examining possible connections to Hezbollah, as Ghazali had been questioned about these ties upon returning from abroad.

Following the attack, federal investigators subpoenaed Phantom Fireworks’ records, which included Ghazali’s name and address. The store’s records showed he purchased “large quantities of commercial-grade fireworks and several jugs of flammable liquid, likely gasoline, some of which was consumed in the fire,” Runyan stated. Ghazali’s vehicle, a Ford F-150, was found parked near the synagogue shortly before 10 a.m. on the attack day. He lingered in the parking lot for two hours before ramming the truck into the building’s southeast entrance.

“We do know that the individual had recently suffered devastating and personal losses overseas due to an Israeli air strike on his family’s home in Lebanon, leaving two children dead,” said Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun. “Grief is real, and it’s heartbreaking, but let me be clear, that is not an excuse.”

Amid escalating Israeli military actions in Lebanon, hundreds have perished and over 750,000 displaced in recent weeks. The context of these losses may influence the ongoing investigation into Ghazali’s potential motives, though no direct link has been established yet. The attack’s timing and choice of target suggest a deliberate act, with the FBI continuing to analyze all available evidence.