By Steve Neavling
The FBI has arrested a 27-year-old Afghan man from Oklahoma City for allegedly plotting an Election Day attack inspired by the Islamic State, according to the Justice Department.
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, who came to the U.S. in 2021, reportedly told investigators after his arrest that he planned the attack to coincide with Election Day and expected to die as a martyr along with a co-conspirator, the Associated Press reports.
In recent weeks, Tawhedi had made several preparations for the attack, including ordering AK-47 rifles, selling his family’s assets, and purchasing one-way tickets for his wife and child to return to Afghanistan.
The FBI did not reveal how Tawhedi came under investigation but said evidence, including Islamic State propaganda and communications with an extremist recruiter, pointed to his intentions.
Tawhedi and an unidentified juvenile co-conspirator were arrested after an undercover FBI operation in which they purchased rifles. Tawhedi has been charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, a crime that carries a potential 20-year prison sentence.
FBI Director Christopher Wray reiterated the agency’s commitment to fighting terrorism.
“Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people,” Wray said in a statement Tuesday.
