Brother And Sister Indicted After IED Discovered At Military Base In Florida

This could’ve turned out fatal.

A brother and sister have been indicted in connection with an IED being placed outside the MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

Alen Zheng, 20, was indicted for attempting to explode the MacDill Air Force Base’s Visitor Center.

Zheng has since fled to China.

His sister, who did not escape to China, is being charged with assisting her brother in the plot.

USA Today reported more on the crime:

A brother and sister are facing federal charges after authorities said an explosive device was found at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Florida, last week.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel announced in a March 26 post on X that the siblings were indicted in connection with the incident at the military base.

Patel said one sibling was in custody on charges including evidence tampering. The other sibling, who Patel called the “prime suspect” in the case, has been charged with explosives offenses and is “currently in China.”

Federal court records identified the siblings charged as Alen Zheng, 20, and Ann Mary Zheng, 27. The FBI Tampa office previously reported the improvised explosive device, or IED, was found on March 16 outside the MacDill base visitor center.

Indictments reviewed by USA TODAY show federal officials accused Alen Zheng of attempting to destroy the visitor’s center at the base with an explosive and making an IED. Ann Mary Zheng is accused of trying to “corruptly alter, destroy, mutilate and conceal” a 2010 black Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

Public records show Ann Mary Zheng with addresses in New York and Florida. The most recent address for her brother is in Land O’Lakes in Pasco County, Florida.

Fox News reports:

FOX NEWS ALERT: A brother and sister have been indicted in connection with the planting of a possible bomb at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa Bay, Florida, home to the U.S. Central Command.

Alen Zheng (20) faces charges including attempting to damage government property by… pic.twitter.com/UQwrspyAm3

— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) March 26, 2026

Kash Patel shared these details:

🚨 An IED was placed at MacDill Air Force Base – home to CENTCOM and U.S. Special Operations Command.

A brother and sister have now been indicted. One is in custody for accessory and evidence tampering and the primary suspect is charged with explosives offenses and is currently… pic.twitter.com/am6YWbgZCt

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 26, 2026

Full text:

An IED was placed at MacDill Air Force Base – home to CENTCOM and U.S. Special Operations Command. A brother and sister have now been indicted.

One is in custody for accessory and evidence tampering and the primary suspect is charged with explosives offenses and is currently in China.

This FBI, working with our partners, will continue pursuing all those responsible and ensure they are brought to justice, no matter where they are.

Do you agree?