DETROIT (AP) — Ayman Ghazali, who crashed his pickup truck into a synagogue in the Detroit area, was reportedly motivated by support for Hezbollah, as per an FBI investigation revealed on Monday.
Prior to the March 12 attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Ghazali, 41, recorded a video expressing his desire to inflict maximum harm on the congregation. He spent several hours parked outside before driving his truck through closed doors and entering a child care area, where he collided with a security guard.
The ensuing chaos included a brief exchange of gunfire with another guard, after which Ghazali took his own life. Fireworks and gasoline were found in his truck, which ignited during the incident. Fortunately, swift actions from first responders ensured the safety of the 150 children and staff present.
Ghazali's ex-wife had alerted police, indicating his distress and suicidal thoughts following the deaths of several family members due to an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon. Notably, one of his deceased relatives was identified as a Hezbollah commander.
The attack on Temple Israel, a significant Reform Jewish congregation, forms part of an alarming trend involving assaults on places of worship worldwide. The synagogue, established in 1941, serves over 12,000 members and promotes values of social justice and equality.
This recent act of violence has deepened concerns among religious leaders and their communities about safety in religious spaces.
