An Afghan migrant “inspired by ISIS” has been accused by the Department of Justice of plotting an Election Day massacre on United States soil.
Prosecutors said that the suspect, 27-year-old Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, is an Afghan citizen living in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
“This defendant, motivated by ISIS, allegedly conspired to commit a violent attack, on Election Day, here on our homeland,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement on Tuesday.
Tawhedi entered the U.S. in September 2021 on a special immigrant visa, accompanied by his wife and young child. At the time of his arrest, he was residing in Oklahoma City.
A member of the Iraqi forces walks past a mural bearing the logo of the Islamic State (IS) group in a tunnel that was reportedly used as a training center by the jihadists, on March 1, 2017, in the village of Albu Sayf, on the southern outskirts of Mosul. An Afghan migrant “inspired by ISIS” has been accused by the U.S. Department of Justice of plotting an Election Day massacre on United States soil.
AFP via Getty Images/AHMAD AL-RUBAYE
Immigration and border security are key issues in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election as Vice President Kamala Harris faces off against former President Donald Trump.
Karoline Leavitt, Trump campaign national press secretary told Newsweek: “Kamala Harris rolled out the red carpet for terrorists like Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi.
“As she told The View, she will continue these pro-terror, America Last policies for four more years if elected.
“President Donald Trump will deport illegal immigrants on the terror watch list and secure our borders from foreign threats.”
Newsweek has contacted the Harris campaign for comment.
Tawhedi has been charged with conspiring and attempting to provide support to ISIS, as well as acquiring firearms and ammunition to commit a felony or act of terrorism in the group’s name.
According to the allegations, Tawhedi took several steps in preparation for the attack, including liquidating his family’s assets, relocating them overseas, and that he was attempting to stockpile firearms.
The FBI reported that Tawhedi collaborated with an unnamed co-conspirator, a juvenile relative who is also an Afghan citizen.
The agency alleges that he consumed Islamic State propaganda online, as evidenced by Google records obtained by law enforcement, and donated to a charity that serves as a front for the terrorist group.
“As charged, the Justice Department foiled the defendant’s plot to acquire semi-automatic weapons and commit a violent attack in the name of ISIS on U.S. soil on Election Day,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland 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 the individuals who seek to terrorize the American people.
“I am deeply grateful to the public servants of the FBI, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma for their work to disrupt this attack and for the work they do every day to protect our country.”
According to an affidavit viewed by CBS News, federal investigators claims that Tawhedi conducted searches for surveillance cameras in Washington, as well as webcams featuring the White House and the Washington Monument.
Additionally, it alleges that he researched for U.S. states with more lenient gun laws.
Authorities said that Tawhedi attempted to obtain AK-47 assault rifles for an attack. On October 7, he and a co-conspirator allegedly met with undercover FBI agents, posing as sellers, to purchase the firearms and ammunition.
After the transaction Tawhedi and his co-conspirator were arrested.
In an interview conducted after his arrest on Monday, the FBI said Tawhedi allegedly confirmed he planned an Election Day attack that would target “large gatherings of people” and that he planned to die carrying it out.
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee told Newsweek this was “inevitable” because of the Biden-Harris administration’s “disastrous border security policies.”
“When tens of thousands of insufficiently vetted individuals are let into the interior, this is the inevitable result,” said Representative Mark Green, a Tennessee Republican. “This Committee has repeatedly warned of the terror threats stemming from the Biden-Harris administration’s failed leadership and disastrous border security policies.
“Unfortunately, our calls for transparency regarding the inadequate vetting and screening following the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan continue to go unanswered—and, here, Americans almost paid the price.
“We appreciate the efforts of law enforcement in thwarting this alleged terror plot on Election Day, but President Biden and Vice President Harris must reverse course on their misguided policies and put the safety and security of the American people first.”
Newsweek has contacted Tawhedi’s attorney for comment.
