A Milwaukee resident was arrested Tuesday for possessing a machine gun and silencer that federal investigators say he was planning to use to attack a Masonic temple.
Charging documents state Samy Mohamed Hamzeh had initially planned to travel to Jordan and attack Israeli citizens and soldiers residing in the West Bank. Hamzeh later changed those plans and decided to instead target the Humphrey Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Milwaukee.
Two confidential sources in contact with Hamzeh recorded the content of their conversations for the FBI. Those confidential sources also accompanied Hamzeh to a firing range to practice shooting and later on a tour of the temple.
Hamzeh’s plan “to eliminate everyone” in the temple required the purchase of two more machine guns and three silencers. He told the sources that the plan was to have two shooters enter the temple, one staying by the main door to kill everyone on the lower level and stop people from escaping, the other two to take the elevator to the top floor and kill everyone practicing there.
The plan was “to be known all over the world...all the Mujahedeen will be talking and be proud of us,” Hamzeh said in a recording, noting his goal was to kill upwards of 30 people. “Thirty is excellent. If I got out, after killing thirty people, I will be happy 100%...100% happy, because these thirty people will terrify the world.”
Hamzeh was arrested after meeting up with two undercover FBI agents to purchase the weapons.
FBI officials said the investigation averted a potentially disastrous outcome.
“It is difficult to calculate the injury and loss of life that was prevented by concerned citizens coming forward and by the tireless efforts of the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad in a press release detailing the arrest.
