A terrorist-style attack, intended to kill dozens of people with automatic weapons at a Masonic center in Milwaukee, was foiled by federal prosecutors on Jan. 26. The suspect, Samy Mohamed Hamzeh, was arrested by the FBI and taken into custody.

According to Jeff Cramer, a federal prosecutor, Hamzeh had been under investigation of the FBI since September. The same undercover agents arrested him this week after he tried to buy automatic weapons from them.

Despite indications of an attempted act of terrorism, Hamzeh has not been charged with terrorism and has no known affiliation with any terrorist group.

“We are Muslims, defending Muslim religion, we are on our own, we have organized our own group,” Hamzeh said, adding that he was confident his supposed attack would trigger more attacks in the United States.

“Such operations will increase in America, when they hear about it. The people will be scared and the operations will increase, and there will be problems all over,… this will lead to people clashing with each other. This way we will be igniting it. I mean we are marching at the front of the war,” Hamzeh said.

U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad called Hamzeh’s plan “a detailed plan to commit a mass shooting intended to kill dozens of people.” Hamzeh had intentions of not only murdering many people in Milwaukee, but also for the shooting to be “known the world over, and to ignite broader clashes.”

According to New York Times, Hamzeh had originally planned to travel to Jordan to attack Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, but he decided to focus on attacking a target in the U.S., hoping to cause a greater world impact.

“The arrest of [Hamzeh] was a result of well-coordinated law enforcement work that thwarted an attack that could have resulted in significant world injury and loss of life,” Robert J. Shields, special agent in the Milwaukee FBI, said.