FBI Foils Planned Election Day Attack In US By ISIS-Linked Afghan Man
According to the Justice Department, Tawhedi, who arrived in the United States in September 2021, was reportedly inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) and expressed a desire to die as a martyr.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has arrested Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, a 27-year-old Afghan national, for allegedly plotting an attack on Election Day in the United States that aimed to target large crowds.
According to the Justice Department, Tawhedi, who arrived in the United States in September 2021, was reportedly inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) and expressed a desire to die as a martyr.
Authorities arrested Tawhedi on Monday, revealing that he had been actively planning the attack.
Court documents indicate he ordered AK-47 rifles, liquidated family assets, and purchased one-way tickets for his wife and child to return to Afghanistan, suggesting a serious commitment to his violent plans.
However, the arrest highlights growing concerns over potential extremist violence in the U.S. The FBI has been on high alert, with Director Christopher Wray stating in August that the agency is facing a unique combination of threats.
“Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people,” he emphasized in a statement following Tawhedi’s arrest.
While details regarding how Tawhedi came under investigation remain unclear, an FBI affidavit revealed evidence of his intentions.
Meanwhile, a photograph from July showed him reading to young children, including his daughter, from a text extolling the rewards of martyrdom in the afterlife.
According to AP reports, officials revealed that Tawhedi consumed Islamic State propaganda, donated to a charity acting as a front for the militant group, and communicated with an individual previously identified by the FBI as involved in recruitment and indoctrination related to extremism.
In July, he also accessed live webcams of the White House and the Washington Monument.
The Justice Department did not disclose the name of Tawhedi’s alleged co-conspirator, referring to him only as a juvenile, a fellow Afghan national, and the brother of Tawhedi’s wife.
After the two advertised personal items for sale on Facebook, the FBI used an informant last month to engage with them and develop a rapport. This informant later invited them to a gun range, where they ordered firearms from an undercover FBI agent posing as the informant’s business partner, according to court documents.
Officials reported that Tawhedi was arrested on Monday after receiving two AK-47 rifles and ammunition he had ordered. The unnamed co-conspirator was also taken into custody, but the Justice Department withheld details due to his juvenile status.
Following his arrest, Tawhedi reportedly informed investigators of a planned attack on Election Day aimed at large public gatherings.
He faces charges of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, a designation recognized by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Tawhedi appeared in court on Tuesday, where he was ordered to be detained. An email sent to an attorney listed as his representative did not receive an immediate response for comment, and it remains unclear whether he has legal representation.
