A man has been charged for attempting to place an explosive device at the entrance of a major military base in Florida on 10 March, US authorities announced on Thursday.
The base, MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, is home to the United States Central Command (Centcom), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East.
The accused, identified as 20-year-old Alen Zheng, faces charges of attempting to destroy government property, and manufacturing and possessing an illegal explosive device, according to an indictment publicly released on Thursday.
Government prosecutors stated that Zheng tried but failed to detonate the improvised device at the base’s visitor centre on the evening of 10 March.
The device was later found and safely disarmed by law enforcement, although the exact date of its discovery has not been disclosed.
On 16 March, authorities reported the discovery of a “suspicious package” near the base’s entrance, which led police to close the roads in the surrounding area.
Zheng is reported to be “currently in China,” according to FBI Director Kash Patel, who shared the update on X.
His sister, Ann Mary Zheng, has been accused of helping him to evade capture by concealing his vehicle. She was arrested on Wednesday, and a hearing to determine her custody status is scheduled for 31 March.
MacDill Air Force Base serves as the headquarters for Centcom, which has been directing military operations initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran on 28 February.
