The individual responsible for crashing a truck laden with explosives into a Michigan synagogue before opening fire has been identified in a newly released photo.

The assailant, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, aged 41, was fatally shot by security forces on Thursday following his assault on the Temple Israel synagogue located in West Bloomfield, a suburb of Detroit.

Ghazali, originally from Lebanon and now a naturalized citizen of the United States, was described by his Dearborn Heights neighbors as “one of the kindest people you can ever meet.”

However, law enforcement has disclosed that Ghazali had documented ties to the Iran-supported terrorist organization Hezbollah, as reported by the New York Post.

Authorities discovered contacts of known Hezbollah affiliates on Ghazali’s phone back in 2019 during police questioning after he returned from an international trip, according to the sources.

Ghazali, who frequently visited Lebanon, the base of the terror group, claimed he traveled abroad for a hair transplant. The FBI conducted an investigation into this matter, but the findings of their inquiry remain undisclosed.

The gunman was seemingly well liked by locals in Dearborn Heights, especially those who frequented Hamido, the popular Middle Eastern restaurant where he worked.

Hamido regulars said Ghazali was the ‘face of the restaurant’ and always treated them with respect.

He carried out the synagogue attack just days after his two brothers, niece and nephew were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, authorities confirmed. 

Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, smashed a truck filled with explosives into a Michigan synagogue and then opened fire on Thursday

Ghazali worked at Hamido, a popular Middle Eastern restaurant in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. He is seen inside the eatery, smiling at customers while manning the phones 

The security team at Temple Israel synagogue has been praised over its quick response to the incident

Parents and children outside Temple Israel synagogue, which has an early childhood center, in West Bloomfield Township, after the gunman opened fire

Ghazali lived in a $315,600 home in nearby Dearborn Heights, which has the largest Arab American population in the United States. 

FBI agents were seen searching his residence on Thursday night.

He had been absent from work in the weeks leading up to the synagogue attack, a colleague told The New York Times. 

His longtime neighbor Kandie Zaidieh, who described Ghazali as ‘my rock,’ was shocked to learn of his involvement in the attack and suspects the tragedy in Lebanon may have played a role in his decision-making. 

‘Because his brother died, right?’ Zaidieh, 60, questioned when approached by the Detroit Free Press. She added: ‘He was the best. The best neighbor. Always quiet, a hard worker. He was always pleasant. Everybody liked him.’ 

Her remarks were echoed by several Hamido patrons, who said they could not fathom that Ghazali would try to harm anyone.

‘He was a very hospitable man and a loving father,’ Hamido patron Timothy Jacob shared in a Dearborn Heights community group. 

‘He always greeted me with a smile and always treated my family with kindness. He will be missed.’ 

Federal authorities were seen late Thursday night raiding the $315,600 home in Dearborn Heights where the Lebanese-born restaurant worker is believed to have lived

Ghazali allegedly carried out the attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, which also serves as a preschool, after losing several family members in an Israeli strike on Lebanon. FBI agents raided his home in Dearborn Heights on Thursday

Ghazali worked at Hamido, a popular Middle Eastern eatery in Dearborn Heights, where regulars say he was the ‘face of the restaurant’

Mike Smith, who said he visited the restaurant the day before the synagogue attack, said it was ‘shocking’ to hear about Ghazali.

‘This guy was always a nice guy, one of the kindest people you can ever meet,’ Smith wrote, adding that Ghazali’s ‘customer service was great.’ 

Siran Mouhanna, admitting she did not know Ghazali well, said that during the encounters they shared, ‘he was the kindest, most respectful guy.’ She added: ‘It breaks my heart.’

‘I don’t believe Ayman can do something like this,’ said Mike Dalou. ‘He is the most respectful man and very kind. I’m lost for words. I pray for him, his family and everyone involved.’

Ghazali was born in Lebanon in 1985 and entered the United States in May 2011 on an immediate relative visa as the spouse of an American citizen, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

He then applied for naturalization on October 20, 2015, and became a citizen on February 5, 2016, under the Obama administration.

Court records reviewed by the Daily Mail show Ghazali’s ex-wife filed for divorce in Wayne County Circuit Court in August 2024.

The vehicle smashed into the doors of Temple Israel in Michigan, and later caught fire

The suspect was neutralized by a security guard at the scene. His body was severely burned 

Law enforcement escort families away from the Temple Israel synagogue on Thursday, in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan

Parents carry their preschool aged children to safety as police escort them away from Temple Israel synagogue after Ghazali’s attack Thursday

A divorce was granted seven months later in March 2025 and a child support order was signed and filed at the conclusion of the proceedings. 

The reason behind their separation remains unclear, as the divorce filing is sealed.  

An unnamed source told CBS News that Ghazali phoned his ex-wife shortly before the attack, asking her to take care of their children.

Ghazali drove a truck filled with explosives into Temple Israel, which also serves as a preschool, at around 12.20pm on Thursday.

The synagogue ‘became engulfed’ in flames after the vehicle collided with it. 

The truck caught fire and the suspect’s body was found severely burned. Ghazali was shot dead by a guard at the synagogue. 

No students or staff were injured in the attack, but a security guard was taken to the hospital after being struck by the vehicle. He is expected to recover.

Thirty law enforcement officers were also taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Federal authorities said at a news conference that they are probing the horrific incident as a ‘targeted act of violence’ against the Jewish community.  

Neighboring police departments, a SWAT team, bomb technicians and dogs were at the scene

Members of the FBI at the site of the attack in West Bloomfield, Michigan on Thursday

Law enforcement responding to the attack on the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan

The synagogue is a reform Jewish place of worship that was open at the time of the attack. It has 12,000 members, one of the largest congregations in the country. 

FBI Detroit led an Active Shooter Attack Prevention and Preparedness (ASAPP) training for the clergy and staff of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield in late January, nearly two months before Thursday’s attack. 

Synagogues around the world have been on edge and ramping up security since the US and Israel launched a war with Iran with missile strikes on February 28.

The FBI has warned that Iranian operatives may be planning drone attacks on targets in California. Two men brought explosives to a far-right protest outside the New York mayoral mansion on Saturday. Investigators allege they were inspired by the Islamic State extremist group.

An assailant drove a car into people outside an Orthodox synagogue in Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. He stabbed two people to death before officers shot and killed him.