ISIS-K behind foiled Election Day terrorism plot, U.S. officials say
ISIS-K, the Afghan branch of the Islamic State, directed an Afghan man’s foiled U.S.
ISIS-K, the Afghan branch of the Islamic State, directed an Afghan man’s foiled U.S. Election Day terror plot, according to two senior U.S. officials briefed on the matter.
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, was arrested by the FBI last week in Oklahoma and is accused of planning to purchase two AK-47 rifles, 10 magazines and ammunition, and carry out a mass shooting attack on Election Day targeting large groups of people, according to court documents and Tawhedi’s alleged statements to the FBI after his arrest.
A Russian investigator inspects the charred remains of Crocus City Hall near Moscow on March 23.Investigative Committee of Russia via APISIS-K was responsible for a deadly attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, a concert venue, in March that left 130 people dead and hundreds injured, and other attacks. The revelation that a foreign terrorist organization was in communication with a would-be attacker inside the U.S. makes the alleged Election Day plot different from most terrorism cases in the past decade, most of which involved people self-radicalized online or self-directed attempts.
The charging documents say Tawhedi told the FBI that he was communicating with a person named “Malik” and that he knew “Malik” was affiliated with ISIS. Tawhedi has not yet been arraigned, and no plea has been entered.
When asked about ISIS-K’s direct involvement in the case, a FBI spokesperson declined to comment.
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