The FBI has filed charges against a man who allegedly was planning to commit a mass shooting at a Masonic temple in Milwaukee, according to reports.
BREAKING: Federal charges just filed against man planning mass shooting in #Milwaukee at Masonic temple. #WISN12
— Nick Bohr (@NickBohrWISN) January 26, 2016
FBI Arrests Milwaukee Man Who Planned Mass Shooting; Charged with Possession of Machine Guns https://t.co/7IdEc3hffk
— FBI (@FBI) January 26, 2016
According to FOX6 News in Milwaukee, the suspect has been under investigation by the FBI since last September.
BREAKING: FBI arrests Milwaukee man who officials say planned mass shooting at Masonic temple https://t.co/il6oQRoouw via @fox6now
— Ben Handelman (@BenHandelman) January 26, 2016
MUGSHOT: Samy Mohamed Hamzeh, arrested and suspected of planning mass shooting in #Milwaukee @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/cWqaR1B7gL
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) January 26, 2016
Samy Mohamed Hamzeh, 23, has been charged with possessing machine guns and a silencer.
In conversations with two confidential sources that were monitored and recorded by the FBI, Hamzeh reportedly explained that he wanted to conduct an act of domestic terror and settled on the Masonic temple as his target, which he toured this month with the confidential sources. Just yesterday, Hamzeh and his associates allegedly attempted to buy machine guns and silencers from an undercover FBI agent.
FOX6 has posted chilling portions of the recorded transcripts showing just how far along Hamzeh had planned:
One of us will stay at the door at the entrance and lock the door down, he will be at the main door down, two will get to the lift up, they will enter the room, and spray everyone in the room. The one who is standing downstairs will spray anyone he finds. We will shoot them, kill them and get out. We will walk and walk, after a while, we will be covered as if it is cold, and we’ll take the covers off and dump them in a corner and keep on walking, as if nothing happened, as if everything is normal. But one has to stand on the door, because if no one stood at the door, people will be going in and out, if people came in from outside and found out what is going on, everything is busted.
"I am telling you if this is executed it will be known all over the world… the Mujaheddin will be talking and they will be proud of us."
— Ben Handelman (@BenHandelman) January 26, 2016
Hamzeh explained that his objective was to kill at least 30. “I am telling you, if this hit is executed, it will be known all over the world,” he explained.
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Update:
Man accused of a mass shooting plot recently lost his job at this 9Round in Milwaukee. More details at 10 on #FOX6. pic.twitter.com/66yO2xjnVI
— Jenna Sachs FOX 6 (@JennaSachsFOX6) January 27, 2016
Samy Hamzeh's old boss says she got complaints that his personality was too intense and somewhat militant pic.twitter.com/qsHnPIFA3s
— Jenna Sachs FOX 6 (@JennaSachsFOX6) January 27, 2016
Former landlord says man accused of mass shooting plot used to live in this apartment but left without giving notice pic.twitter.com/GYQ5hgiZNu
— Jenna Sachs FOX 6 (@JennaSachsFOX6) January 27, 2016
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
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