In brief
Federal charges have been levied against Alen Zheng and his sister Ann Mary Zheng following the discovery of an explosive device at MacDill Air Force Base. Alen, 20, has fled to China, while 27-year-old Ann is in custody facing charges of witness tampering. The incident has heightened security concerns at the base.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — An investigation has led to the indictment of a brother-sister duo in connection with a suspicious explosive device found outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. Alen Zheng, 20, has been charged with attempting to damage government property, unlawfully making a destructive device, and possessing an unregistered destructive device. Meanwhile, his sister, Ann Mary Zheng, 27, faces charges for witness tampering and serving as an accessory after the fact. Ann is currently in custody, while Alen has fled to China.According to FBI Director Kash Patel's social media statement, the charges stem from a March 16 incident where a suspicious package was found outside the base. The U.S. Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East and other regions, is located at MacDill, which has been on heightened alert following recent tensions in Iran.In an unrelated incident, another individual was arrested for making threatening calls to the base, but he has not been connected to the Zheng siblings. Court records do not indicate if either sibling has legal representation.
