Key facts
- FBI arrested Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, in Minnesota on Tuesday.
- Mohamud is charged with obtaining a firearm for an act of terrorism.
- He bought an AK-47 and 200 rounds of ammo from an undercover FBI employee.
- Mohamud intended to join overseas terrorist groups before planning a Minnesota attack.
- He was seen on mall cameras and robbed a Lids store before his arrest.
The FBI announced on Wednesday that it had thwarted a potential terrorist attack at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, by arresting an 18-year-old.
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud was arrested Tuesday in a public park after paying $600 to an undercover FBI employee posing as a member of the Islamic State for an AK-47 and 200 rounds of ammunition, according to the criminal complaint.
Mohamud had been under investigation by the FBI for nearly two years. His messages with a confidential informant revealed an initial intent to join terrorist organizations overseas, which later shifted to a planned attack in Minnesota when those plans failed. The messages date back to December 2024.
According to Minnesota police, Mohamud was seen on the mall's security cameras walking around "nonchalantly" and subsequently robbed a Lids store at gunpoint before being apprehended. He expressed his desire to be martyred and kill "a bunch of white ppl."
US Attorney Daniel Rosen stated that agents were able to detect and disrupt the threat before Mohamud carried out his intention to kill, potentially 30 to 60 people, as detailed in the complaint.
The incident occurs amid increasing concerns about terrorism and violence in Minnesota, with some law enforcement officials calling for a regional task force to address such issues.