FBI Thwarts Mass Shooting Planned At Masonic Temple in Milwaukee

"Nothing To Do With Islam"

FBI Thwarts Mass Shooting Planned At Masonic Temple in Milwaukee

Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested a Milwaukee man who planned a mass shooting, according to a release by United States Attorney’s Office of Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Samy Mohamed Hamzeh, 23, has been charged with possessing machine guns and a silencer.

In October 2015, Hamzeh planned to travel to Jordan, enter the West Bank and conduct an attack on Israeli soldiers and citizens living in the West Bank.

Hamzeh later abandoned those plans and began to focus on conducting an attack in the United States.

During recorded conversations, Hamzeh explained that he wanted to commit a domestic act of violence on a Masonic Temple in Milwaukee.

Hamzeh had been under investigation since September 2015.

On January 19, Hamzeh took a guided tour of the Masonic temple, during which they learned meeting schedules and where people would be located during meetings.

Hamzeh learned meeting schedules and where people would be located during meetings. In a recorded conversation after they left, Hamzeh discussed his plans.

Hamzeh reaffirmed his intention to commit an armed attack on the temple and discussed in further detail how they would carry out the attack.

Hamzeh said that they would need two machine guns so that they each would have one and also said that they would need three silencers.

Hamzeh also, said, “I am telling you, to go without a silencer gun, you will be exposed from the beginning.”