An Afghan man was arrested in Oklahoma, in the United States, for allegedly planning a “terrorist attack” on election day, the US Department of Justice reported on Tuesday (8).
The man, 27-year-old Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, who lives in Oklahoma after entering the U.S. in 2021 on a special immigrant visa, was planning the attack on behalf of the Islamic State, according to the indictment.
Tawhedi searched online for information about how to access cameras in the capital, Washington, and in states that did not require a license to obtain a firearm, according to the indictment. He also visited the White House and Washington Monument web cameras.
Tawhedi and an underage co-conspirator were arrested Monday after meeting with FBI agents to purchase two AK-47 rifles and ammunition. In his post-arrest interrogation, Tawhedi said the attack was planned to target large gatherings of people, during which he and his co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs.
“We will continue to combat the ongoing threat that the Islamic State and its supporters pose to the national security of the United States and will identify, investigate and prosecute individuals who seek to terrorize the American people,” said U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland in a statement. a statement.
Last week, in a “insider threat assessment,” the Department of Homeland Security said the U.S. threat environment was expected to remain high next year due to factors such as the 2024 election cycle and Israel’s war in Gaza.
“Lone offenders and small groups continue to pose the greatest threat. Meanwhile, foreign terrorist organizations, including the Islamic State and Al Qaeda, maintain their long-standing intent to carry out or inspire attacks domestically,” the department said in an assessment released Oct. 2.
The Islamic State killed and executed thousands of people in the name of its extreme religious interpretation before being territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019.
This content was originally published in Afghan man arrested accused of planning attack on election day in the US on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
