The U.S. Department of Justice has arrested Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, a 27-year-old Afghan citizen residing in Oklahoma City, for allegedly plotting an Election Day attack in the name of the Islamic State group (ISIS). According to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Tawhedi was “motivated by ISIS” and had conspired to commit violence on U.S. soil.
Authorities accuse Tawhedi of attempting to stockpile firearms and preparing to liquidate his family’s assets while planning to relocate them overseas. He faces charges of providing support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy, and attempting to procure weapons for the attack. The FBI claims Tawhedi, along with a juvenile relative, researched firearms and scouted locations for the planned attack, including surveillance on Washington, D.C., landmarks.
FBI agents arrested Tawhedi and his co-conspirator on October 7 after they attempted to buy assault rifles from undercover agents posing as arms dealers. Following his arrest, Tawhedi allegedly admitted he was planning a mass-casualty event on Election Day, intending to die during the attack.
Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the DOJ’s commitment to neutralizing such threats, saying, “We will continue to combat the ongoing threat that ISIS and its supporters pose to America’s national security.”
Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. in 2021 on a special immigrant visa, remains in custody, and it is unclear if he has legal representation.
