The FBI has arrested Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, a 27-year-old Afghan man from Oklahoma City, who, according to officials, was inspired by the Islamic State and plotting an attack targeting large crowds on Election Day in the U.S. The Justice Department announced the arrest on Tuesday.
Tawhedi, who entered the U.S. in 2021 on a special immigrant visa, revealed to investigators after his arrest on Monday that he had been planning the attack with a juvenile accomplice, intending to die as martyrs. The charging documents indicate that Tawhedi had been actively working on his plan in recent weeks, including ordering AK-47 rifles, liquidating his family’s assets, and purchasing one-way tickets for his wife and child to return to Afghanistan.
“Terrorism remains the FBI’s top priority, and we will utilize every resource to protect the American people,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement.
Tawhedi has been charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group, which the U.S. has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. At this time, it is unclear if he has legal representation to speak on his behalf.
