OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A 27-year-old Afghan national living in Oklahoma City was arrested on Monday for allegedly plotting an Election Day terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ says 27-year-old Nasim Ahmad Tawhedi liquidated his family's assets, resettled his family members and bought AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition in preparation for the planned attack.
A criminal complaint alleges that the FBI found messages between Tawhedi and an unnamed person with ties to ISIS. The FBI also reportedly found a video of Tawhedi reading a text to two children that "desribes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife," as well as saved ISIS propaganda on his iCloud and Google account.
Tawhedi's alleged participation in pro-ISIS groups on the Telegram app and contributions to an ISIS-affiliated charity were also mentioned in the complaint.
Tawhedi, along with a juvenile co-conspirator, reportedly came into contact with a confidential FBI source while selling his family's personal property on Facebook. The FBI source, under the bureau's guidance, mentioned that he needed a computer Tawhedi was selling to start his gun business.
The complaint says Tawhedi and the juvenile met with the source and other FBI assets in an unspecified rural location in Oklahoma on October 7, where they purchased two AK-47s, ten magazines and 500 rounds of ammunition.
After receiving the rifles and ammunition, both Tawhedi and the juvenile were arrested.
According to the DOJ, seized communications indicate that Tawhedi intended to target large groups of people on Election Day, and that he and the juvenile planned to die as martyrs.
Tawhedi has been charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, and receiving a firearm to be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism.
Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) released a statement on Wednesday following the announcement of Tawhedi's arrest.
The charges brought against Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi in Oklahoma for plotting an Election Day terrorist attack on US soil is a stark reminder that our nation continues to face threats from those who hate our freedom and want to do us harm. I’m grateful to the FBI, especially the Oklahoma FBI Field Office, and our local law enforcement agencies for their vigilance and dedication to protect our communities. Their swift action prevented what could have been a devastating attack.
Tawhedi is Afghan refugee with ties to ISIS. With the escalating conflict in Israel and across the Middle East, we must remain vigilant against terrorism here at home. Oklahomans know well that many of the Afghan refugees in our communities fought side by side with American troops against the terrorism that attacked our nation on 9/11 and destroyed the nation of Afghanistan.
I have been in direct contact with the FBI about this case for a while and I will remain engaged as Tawhedi is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I will continue to work closely with Federal prosecutors to ensure we are taking every step necessary to keep Americans safe.
Senator James Lankford, R-Oklahoma
