2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Christopher Bucktin)
A chilling election day ISIS terror plot devised to kill dozens of US voters has been intercepted by the FBI . Afghan immigrant Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, from Oklahoma City, was arrested after federal agents uncovered his plan to attack large crowds on November 5, the US Justice Department confirmed. The 27-year-old, who arrived in the States on a special immigrant visa in 2021, had allegedly been stockpiling automatic weapons and liquidating his family’s assets in preparation for the attack.
His aim, investigators say, was to carry out the deadly plot in the name of ISIS, which has been actively promoting violent attacks worldwide. According to federal sources, Tawhedi accessed the terror group's propaganda and funnelled money to a fake charity that was funding the militant group. The FBI also discovered that he had been closely monitoring surveillance cameras in Washington DC, including live streams of locations such as the White House and the Washington Monument.
Additionally, Tawhedi reportedly searched for US states with looser gun laws, possibly looking for easier opportunities to acquire firearms. A video recorded on July 20 claims to show Tawhedi reading to two children about the afterlife rewards for martyrs. The FBI traced communication between him and an individual linked to ISIS who is believed to have helped facilitate recruitment, indoctrination, and training for potential terrorists.
Tawhedi now faces several charges, including conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars. He is also charged with receiving firearms to commit a federal crime of terrorism, which could add another 15 years to his sentence if convicted. Attorney General Merrick Garland praised the swift action of federal agents.
“The Justice Department foiled the defendant’s plot to acquire semi-automatic weapons and commit a violent attack in the name of ISIS on US soil on Election Day,” he said. “We will continue to combat the ongoing threat that ISIS and its supporters pose to America’s national security, and we will identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who seek to terrorise the American people.” Tawhedi’s journey to the US under a special immigrant visa, typically granted to Afghans who assisted US forces during the war, has raised further scrutiny over the vetting process for such visas.
While many Afghans who resettle in the States seek to rebuild their lives, the case has highlighted concerns that extremist elements may exploit the system. In Oklahoma City, neighbours expressed disbelief that such a plot was being hatched within their quiet suburb. Tawhedi’s family home in Moore, a nearby suburb, was put up for sale, and when approached by reporters, his wife refused to comment, stating, “We don’t want to talk to the media.
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