DETROIT (RTW News) — The FBI revealed on Monday that Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old man who crashed his pickup truck into a synagogue in the Detroit area earlier this month, was inspired by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The incident occurred at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township on March 12, where Ghazali intended to inflict maximum harm, as stated in a video he produced prior to the attack.
Ghazali spent hours in the parking lot before smashing through the closed doors into a children's educational area, injuring a security guard in the process. He had commercial-grade fireworks and jugs of gasoline in his vehicle, which ignited during the confrontation that led to him fatally shooting himself after exchanging gunfire with another guard. Fortunately, first responders managed to safely evacuate the approximately 150 children and staff members in the building.
His ex-wife had alerted the local police shortly before the assault, expressing concern over Ghazali's state of mind following the deaths of family members in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon during the recent escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran.
The military strike, confirmed to have killed Ghazali's brother Ibrahim, who was identified as a Hezbollah commander in Lebanon, fuels the narrative of Ghazali's motivations. His familial connections to Hezbollah were also mentioned by National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard.
Hezbollah, a group with a complex political and military history, was founded in 1982 during Lebanon’s civil strife and has continued to be a significant player in the region, with the U.S. designating it as a terrorist organization. The attack on Temple Israel is part of an alarming trend targeting places of worship globally, raising significant concerns among religious leaders and their congregations.
With over 12,000 members, Temple Israel is one of the largest congregations in North America’s Reform Judaism movement, known for advocating social justice and progressive values.
