Two arrested in alleged attempt to set Salt Lake Fox affiliate vehicle on fire

Two men have been arrested after they allegedly planted an incendiary device under a local TV news vehicle.

Adeeb Nasir, 58, and Adil Justice Ahmed Nasir, 31, are facing charges of threat of terrorism, possessing weapons of mass destruction and possessing explosive devices, after law enforcement alleges they lit an explosive device under a vehicle owned by KSTU, the Fox affiliate in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Officials said the device ultimately “failed to function.” The vehicle was parked near a building at the time, which triggered an FBI response due to the potential threat to public safety. No one was injured or killed during the incident.

“Fox 13 News is working closely with law enforcement and our risk management team, with the safety of our employees as our top priority,” said KSTU Station Manager Leona Wood in a statement.

The FBI was able to connect the device to the Nasiers and obtained a warrant to search the premises for materials connected to the explosive. During the search, additional materials, including firearms, firearm-related items, explosives, illegal narcotics and paraphernalia were discovered, in addition to electronics that investigators say have evidence of connection to the device under the station’s vehicle.

Law enforcement also observed anti-Trump signage at the property, according to reports. 

In addition, two “hoax” weapons of mass destruction were found during the search. According to officials, the men claimed these were actually real, which triggered an evacuation of nearby homes before law enforcement teams were able to determine they were not functional.

It was not immediately clear if the alleged actions may have been aimed at KSTU because of its link to the Fox broadcasting network and FNC. 

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KSTU is owned by E.W. Scripps Company and affiliated with the Fox broadcasting network, though it is a common misconception by the general public that local stations are more closely linked to their parent networks than they actually are, simply because they carry that network’s content. 

While Fox Corp. does own both the Fox network and FNC, but does not have any direct ownership interest in KSTU or most other Fox affiliates across the country, with the exception of 29 stations based in mostly major markets. Both Fox’s broadcast network and FNC are often referred to simply as “Fox.”

In some cases, such as KSTU, the station’s on-air branding can also lend itself to additional confusion over ownership, such as KSTU’s “Fox 13 News” branding, which is similar to schemas used at many other Fox stations — including ones not owned by the network and O&Os.

Reports that the vehicle was a “Fox News” van fail to consider the context that KSTU is an affiliate of the Fox network. 

There was also no immediate word if the alleged suspects’ motives may have been linked to the killing of right-leaning media personality Charlie Kirk in Orem, Utah, Sept. 10, 2025. Kirk’s death triggered a wave of outrage from both sides of the political spectrum.

Orem is about 40 miles from Salt Lake City.

Media vehicles and crews are sometimes targeted for vandalism or theft due to their high-profile nature and the fact they carry expensive equipment. There have also been incidents aimed at other stations across the U.S. over perceived bias. Crews are also sometimes put in danger — or even killed — while out covering local news.

It’s not clear how many TV news vehicles have been targeted with a live explosive device in the U.S. in the past, though no recent events come to mind. 

Media outlets and their staff often face numerous other threats of violence, injury, destruction or death. While many of these incidents end up being hoaxes or unfounded, violence against journalists and TV news crews is a serious issue within the industry.