An Afghan national residing in Oklahoma has admitted to terrorism-related offenses in a U.S. federal court, concerning plans to execute an Election Day attack on behalf of the Islamic State group. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, confessed to charges of conspiring and supporting the Islamic State, along with attempting to procure firearms for a terrorist act. The United States classifies the Islamic State as an overseas terrorist organization. Tawhedi potentially faces a sentence of 35 years in prison.
FBI Director Kash Patel remarked in a statement, “The defendant acknowledges plotting and securing firearms to carry out a violent attack during the 2024 Election Day. This plan was identified and thwarted thanks to the effective efforts of the FBI and our collaborators.” Attempts to obtain comments from Craig Hoehns, Tawhedi’s defense lawyer, remained unreturned.
Court records reveal that last year, Tawhedi, residing in Oklahoma City, procured two rifles resembling AK-47s and 500 rounds of ammunition, aiming to strike large gatherings. Authorities have indicated that he was in collusion with various individuals, including his brother-in-law, Abdullah Haji Zada, for many months in planning this attack.
Zada, who was 17 at the time of his involvement, was tried as an adult and entered a guilty plea in April. He now faces a possible 15-year imprisonment. Tawhedi came to the United States in September 2021 under a special immigration visa, following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. Upon his arrest on October 7, Tawhedi had been on parole as his immigration proceedings continued. The Justice Department noted that his parole has been rescinded.
It was earlier revealed in testimonies that Tawhedi, who had been employed as a rideshare driver and worked in auto repair shops, had been under FBI surveillance for more than a month before being apprehended.