Courts and Federal Law Enforcement

Federal prosecutors have indicted siblings in connection with an alleged improvised explosive device planted outside the MacDill Air Force Base visitor center on March 10; investigators say a prepaid phone used to make a 911 bomb-threat call minutes later was tied to Alen Zheng via Best Buy surveillance, a search of his home recovered components consistent with the device, and both his mother and sister told agents they knew he had planted it. Authorities say the siblings sold the vehicle used to transport the device and left the country (Ann Mary returned March 17 while Alen remained in China); U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said the motive is unknown but that they “obviously felt quite strongly” about something the U.S. government was doing, and some outlets have reported a possible tie to the Iran conflict.