Charges Filed Against Siblings for Explosives at Air Force Base

A brother and sister face charges relating to explosives found at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. The FBI revealed that Allen Zhen, who is believed to have placed the explosives, is currently in China. He is charged with attempted destruction of government property through fire or explosion, illegal manufacture of a destructive device, and possession of an unregistered destructive device.

His sister, Ann Mary Jen, has been arrested on charges of being an accessory after the fact and tampering with evidence. She allegedly concealed or damaged a 2010 Mercedes-Benz to obstruct its use in legal proceedings, as outlined in court documents.

FBI Tampa released a statement confirming the arrests, with FBI Director Kash Patel emphasizing the thorough investigative efforts and collaboration among various agencies. He stated, “Anyone who targets our service members or military bases will face severe consequences. The FBI will pursue every person involved with the incident at MacDill.”

The indictment is expected to be made public on Thursday morning, followed by a press conference later that day. This comes after a suspicious package was reported outside the MacDill Visitor Center on March 16. MacDill Air Force Base is home to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters, currently involved in operations against Iran, as well as the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), which oversees special operations forces across the Army.

This is an ongoing situation, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.