Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, an Afghan national living in Oklahoma, was charged with conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack on Election Day on behalf of ISIS. Tawhedi was arrested on Monday for attempting to provide material support to the terrorist group and obtaining firearms and ammunition for an attack in the U.S. planned for November 5. He allegedly planned to target large gatherings and intended to die as a martyr in the attack. Tawhedi made efforts to liquidate his family’s assets, resettle family members in Afghanistan, and obtain AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition. Court documents also show that he viewed and saved ISIS propaganda online and researched accessing Washington DC cameras and gun laws in certain states.
Tawhedi’s arrest comes amid rising concerns about potential political violence surrounding the upcoming election. President Joe Biden expressed confidence in a free and fair election but was less certain about its peacefulness. The thwarted plot was hailed by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt as an example of successful information-sharing between law enforcement agencies.
The U.S. government continues to combat the threat posed by ISIS, with recent arrests of individuals with potential links to the terrorist group and military operations in Iraq targeting ISIS fighters. The Justice Department pledged to prosecute individuals seeking to terrorize Americans, following Tawhedi’s arrest. The Biden administration condemned political violence, while the Trump campaign used Tawhedi’s arrest to criticize the administration’s immigration policies.
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