Topline
An Afghan national was charged Tuesday with allegedly planning an Election Day terrorist attack in the U.S. on behalf of ISIS, the Justice Department announced.
Prosecutors allege the man and other co-conspirators planned to “stage a violent attack” on behalf … [+]
Key Facts
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, a resident of Oklahoma City, was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS and receiving a firearm to be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism, the DOJ said.
Prosecutors claim Tawhedi and other unnamed co-conspirators—including Tawhedi’s brother-in-law—planned to purchase semiautomatic firearms and ammunition after liquidating their family assets and relocating family members overseas before the attack.
The FBI searched Tawhedi’s devices and found images, posts and texts indicating he was a follower of ISIS, according to the DOJ.
Tawhedi allegedly completed Google searches to plan the attack, investigators said, including, “How to access washington dc cameras” and “Which US state does not require relations to get a firearm?”
After his arrest Monday, Tawhedi—who entered the U.S. in September 2021—allegedly admitted to obtaining the weapons for carrying out an attack on Election Day that would have targeted “large gatherings of people,” adding he “expected to be martyred” and die during the attack.
This is a developing story.
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What To Watch For
Tawhedi’s first court appearance is scheduled for later on Tuesday. If convicted, Tawhedi faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison, the DOJ said.
Key Background
FBI Director Christopher Wray warned late last year about an “elevated” terrorism threat in the U.S. as conflict in the Middle East escalated. ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization with affiliates throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Though the group—which peaked in 2015 after launching attacks in the Middle East—no longer controls wide swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria, U.S. intelligence officials believe ISIS is still seeking to expand its global presence and “inspire global attacks against the West and Western interests,” according to a congressional report.
