FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Federal authorities have charged a brother and sister in connection with an explosive device discovered near MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa earlier this month. Alen Zheng, 20, who has reportedly fled to China, and his sister Ann Mary Zheng, 27, were indicted separately by federal prosecutors on Wednesday.
While Ann is in custody, Alen faces serious charges including attempting to damage government property, unlawfully making a destructive device, and possessing an unregistered destructive device. These charges stem from the discovery of a suspicious package at MacDill, which houses the U.S. Central Command responsible for military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia.
The package was found on March 16, leading to a swift FBI investigation as security heightened around the base due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly since the onset of the war in Iran.
Ann Mary Zheng is charged with witness tampering and being an accessory after the fact in Alen's case, indicating possible attempts to hinder the investigation.
In a related development, another individual was arrested for making threatening phone calls to the base shortly after the explosive device was unveiled, although documents do not connect him with the Zheng siblings.
As investigations progress, the authorities continue to stress the importance of security surrounding military installations, especially amidst current global tensions.
While Ann is in custody, Alen faces serious charges including attempting to damage government property, unlawfully making a destructive device, and possessing an unregistered destructive device. These charges stem from the discovery of a suspicious package at MacDill, which houses the U.S. Central Command responsible for military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia.
The package was found on March 16, leading to a swift FBI investigation as security heightened around the base due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly since the onset of the war in Iran.
Ann Mary Zheng is charged with witness tampering and being an accessory after the fact in Alen's case, indicating possible attempts to hinder the investigation.
In a related development, another individual was arrested for making threatening phone calls to the base shortly after the explosive device was unveiled, although documents do not connect him with the Zheng siblings.
As investigations progress, the authorities continue to stress the importance of security surrounding military installations, especially amidst current global tensions.
