Feds arrest Minnesota man over Mall of America terror plot

Prosecutors say the man purchased an AK-47 and 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover agent prior to his arrest.MINNEAPOLIS (CN) — Federal law enforcement officials on Wednesday announced the arrest of a Twin Cities man prosecutors say was plotting a mass-casualty terrorism attack at the Mall of America.According to a criminal complaint filed in Minnesota federal court, 18-year-old Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud gathered assault weapons and ammunition in preparation for an attack at the mall during the Hmong Arts Celebration on Oct. 24.U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and officials from the FBI and the Bloomington Police Department announced the complaint in a press conference shortly after it was filed, noting Mohamud was arrested at gunpoint by FBI agents in a public park in south Minneapolis on Tuesday.“The American people and the citizens of Minnesota should know from yesterday’s arrest, which was the culmination of an outstanding law enforcement and intelligence operation, that federal law enforcement is standing up to their calling to protect us,” Rosen said in a press conference, noting Mohamud’s case demonstrates the ongoing threat of terrorism facing the United States.“Because of their vigilance and diligence, they were able to detect a threat and disrupt it before the defendant carried out his intention to kill, in his words, maybe 30 to 60 people,” he added.Federal officials said Mohamud had been the focus of a counterterrorism investigation since 2024, and that the man has sent hundreds of messages to an unknown contact detailing his intent to join an Islamic State group affiliate in Somalia and act on its behalf.Mohamud’s messages also expressed his desire to commit a mass-casualty attack in Minnesota if he was unable to travel overseas because of a lack of funds.“The messages this defendant allegedly sent to others were chilling,” FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson said in the press conference. “They document the idolization of ideologically motivated violence, a callous disregard for the sanctity of human life, a blind hatred of people of other faiths and a cold commitment to carrying out his vision.”FBI agents arrested Mohamud shortly after he purchased an AK-47 assault rifle and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover federal employee whom he believed to be an IS supporter.“Instead of finding the means to kill countless innocent Americans, this defendant found a team of FBI agents there to arrest him and ensure he is held accountable in federal court,” Dotson said in the press conference.Prosecutors note the AK-47 was “rendered inert” prior to the transaction, but that the ammunition rounds were live.In addition to targeting the Hmong Arts Festival, federal officials say Mohamud told the undercover agent he picked the Mall of America for his attack because it has Jewish owners.Federal law prohibits receiving or transferring firearms or ammunition with knowledge that such weapons will be used to commit a felony or “crime of terrorism” — defined as a calculated offense intended to influence, affect or retaliate against government conduct.Prosecutors note Mohamud previously expressed his support for the Bourbon Street terror attack in New Orleans, where a driver displaying an IS flag on his vehicle drove into a dense crowd of people, killing 14.“Normally I’m not at a loss for words, but I’m horrified,” Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said at the press conference. “It’s time we start teaching our young people that this is a great country, that we’re not perfect, but that this type of hatred for this country is something that I just don’t understand.”Rosen noted Mohamud is an American citizen and was born in the country, and refers to Somalia as the “homeland” of his parents.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads