by
Ayman Ghazali (FBI photo)
Ayman Ghazali, the 41-year-old Dearborn Heights man who attacked Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township on March 12, was inspired and motivated by Hezbollah's militant ideology of hate for Jews, Israel, and the U.S., the FBI said Monday at a downtown Detroit press conference. Officials said there's no evidence that Ghazali conspired with anyone in the Lebanese-based Hezbollah.
Jennifer Runyan, head of the Detroit FBI, said a thorough review of Ghazali's online activities shows that in January he was consuming online Hezbollah's anti-U.S. and Israel material, long before his two brothers, one Israel identified as a Hezbollah commander, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon in early March. The U.S. and Israel list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Supporters refer to the group as freedom fighters.
Runyan stopped short of pinning the motivation for the attack on his brothers' deaths, but said Ghazali's "attack planning and mobilization to violence began in earnest on March 9" shortly after his brothers were killed.
As for the relatives deaths, Runyan said:
"It still is almost immaterial because it's a terrorist attack...against people who had nothing to do with the death of his family. It was a targeted attack against the Jewish community here in Michigan."
FBI's Jennifer Runyan and U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr.
"A review of his online activity since January 2026 revealed a reoccurring search history of pro-Hezbollah news channels, Iranian news channels and video about shootouts and bullets," she said.
CNN previously reported that the mayor of the Lebanese town of Mashghara told the network that Ayman Ghazali’s brothers, including Ibrahim Ghazali, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 5, and that Ibrahim's children were also killed in the strike. The Israel Defense Forces has identified Ibrahim as a Hezbollah commander.
Runyan said that on the morning of March 9, Ghazali looked online for Detroit-area synagogues and in the afternoon attempted to purchase a weapon from two different people who turned him down.
He then purchased an AR-style assault rifle from a Dearborn Heights gun store, along with 10 rifle magazines and approximately 300 rounds of .223 rifle ammunition. He also ordered 40 5.3-gallon water containers online, which he later filled with gasoline. He subsequently purchased fireworks and two torch lighters.
On the night of March 9, he started visiting numerous Jewish cultural, educational and religious websites, including upcoming events at Temple Israel.
On March 10, she said "he continued his online searches using specific terms including phrases such as: 'largest gathering of israelis in Michigan,' 'orthodox synagogues,' 'israeli near me,' 'what time is the trump rally in Michigan,' as well as 'a center affiliated with the israeli embassy in Michigan.'" He also checked for the time of lunch at Temple Israel, the largest synagogue in Michigan and visited a shooting range to practice with his new weapon.
Later, he purchased $2,200 in fireworks.
Ayman Ghazali at gun range (FBI photo)
On March 11, the day before the attack, he began adding photos to a Facebook profile "he entitled 'vengeance,' and he started including images such as the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini as well as the late Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah," Runyan said.
In Arabic, the posting said of the enemies, "we have a vendetta against them that we will never forget."
He also posted photos of his deceased brothers and niece and nephew.
That day he also got the water containers. He filled up his truck four different times so he could fill the containers with gas, Runyan said. He also bought some torch lighters.
On March 12, in the early morning hours on the day of the attack, he posted numerous photos of his deceased family members as well as comments "that we will seek retribution" for the sacred blood of Simu, a phrase for his brother, "which heaven is fortunate to have," Runyan said.
Pickup crashing into the synagogue (FBI photo)
He went on to write that Israel is a cancerous malignant growth, pure evil and an oppressor, who will soon know what kind of end they will meet, Runyan said.
The day of the attack, he left home shortly after 9:15 a.m. and arrived at the synagogue parking lot minutes before 10 a.m.
As he sat in the lot, the FBI's Runyan said he sent 19 videos, photos and messages to his sister in Lebanon and “reiterated his intent to commit a mass terrorist attack as well as affirming his Hezbollah-inspired ideology," Runyan said." He also referenced attacking the largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan.
One message said "Jihad is the gateway to heaven."
She said his sister asked him to stop sending the photos, but he continued.
Ghazali rammed his Ford F-150 truck loaded with fireworks and gasoline through the doors and into the hallway. Inside were 103 preschool and daycare children, plus staff. No one was hurt.
Ghazali's truck, filled with fireworks and gasoline, struck and wounded a synagogue security officer. During an exchange of gunfire, authorities said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The truck went up in flames, causing extensive damage to the synagogue.
“I think in his mind, he was trying to cause a mass amount of damage to more than 100 kids who were just going to school that day," Runyan said.
"The amazingness that we had no additional fatalities based upon what this assailant was planning to do is just a testament to the preparedness of the Temple Israel security guards," she said.
See press conference recorded by CBS Detroit
