A man accused of planting an explosive device near MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa has fled to China, federal investigators said Thursday, as prosecutors unsealed charges against him and his sister in a case that drew scrutiny because the base houses U.S. Central Command.
Federal authorities identified the suspect as Alen Zheng, 20, and said he is believed to have left the United States after the device was placed near the base's visitor center earlier this month. FBI Director Kash Patel said Zheng is in China, while his sister, Ann Mary Zheng, is in custody.
U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said investigators believe Zheng planted the device on the night of Mar. 10, but it was not discovered until Mar. 16. The FBI later said the package contained what appeared to be an improvised explosive device or possible energetic materials, though final lab analysis was still pending at the time of earlier reports, according to CNN.
Prosecutors said the siblings flew to China on Mar. 12, and Ann Mary Zheng returned to the United States on Mar. 17, where she was arrested. She is charged with being an accessory after the fact and with evidence tampering, including allegations that she helped conceal a car tied to the investigation.
Investigators also tied Alen Zheng to a phone used in a 911 call about the bomb and said surveillance video helped identify him. Authorities said the call was made after the device was planted, and the case expanded after officials received additional information, including a video that claimed responsibility for the act, CBS News reported.
MacDill Air Force Base is one of the most sensitive military sites in the country because it hosts U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. The discovery of the device prompted security measures and a temporary shelter-in-place order at the base while investigators examined the threat.
Zheng faces charges including attempted damage to government property by fire or explosion, unlawful making of a destructive device, and possession of an unregistered destructive device. Prosecutors said the investigation is ongoing and that they are working to bring him back to the United States, as per ABC News.
