Afghan man, planning attack on US election day in November, arrested

The FBI has arrested an Afghan man who officials say was inspired by the Islamic State militant organisation and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S., the Justice Department said on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.

Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, of Oklahoma City told investigators after his arrest Monday (October 7) that he had planned his attack to coincide with Election Day next month and that he and a co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs, according to charging documents.

“Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. in September 2021, had taken steps in recent weeks to advance his attack plans, including ordering AK-47 rifles, liquidating his family’s assets, and buying one-way tickets for his wife and child to travel home to Afghanistan,” officials said.