The FBI has arrested an Afghan national who was plotting an Election Day terrorist attack in the name of ISIS, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, of Oklahoma City, allegedly conspired to carry out a violent attack on large crowds next month, officials said. No information on exact locations or targets was released.
Tawhedi was arrested Monday, after which he allegedly confirmed to investigators the attack was planned for Election Day and that he and a juvenile co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs.
Tawhedi, who entered the U.S. in 2021 on a special immigrant visa, had recently bought one-way tickets for his wife and child to fly back to Afghanistan and had been liquidating his family’s assets. He had also been communicating with ISIS fighters in chat apps and contributing to a fake charity that funnels money to the terrorist organization.
A Facebook post with various personal belongings for sale led to FBI scrutiny. On Monday, Tawhedi and the juvenile met with undercover agents in a rural location in Oklahoma to purchase weapons. After taking receipt of two AK-47 assault rifles, ten magazines and 500 rounds of ammunition, the two were taken into custody.
“Their ultimate aim was to stage a violent attack in the United States in the name of and on behalf of ISIS,” prosecutors wrote.
Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He was also charged with receiving a firearm to be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, if convicted.
No information about his co-conspirator was released.
“As charged, the Justice Department foiled the defendant’s plot to acquire semi-automatic weapons and commit a violent attack in the name of ISIS on U.S. soil on Election Day,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“I am proud of the men and women of the FBI who uncovered and stopped the plot before anyone was harmed,” added FBI director Christopher Wray. “Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people.”