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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that it thwarted an alleged terrorist attack that was planned for New Year's Eve in North Carolina and was said to be inspired by the extremist organization ISIS.
In connection with the case, 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant, a resident of Mint Hill, a town located in Mecklenburg County, has been arrested and now faces federal charges.
According to the authorities, Sturdivant had been expressing interest in extremism for years and had been preparing for the attack that was ultimately thwarted for at least a year.
The young man started by reading material on pages linked to the terrorist group and posting related content on TikTok, until he managed to make contact with individuals he believed to be members of ISIS, who were actually undercover agents: first from the New York Police Department and then from the FBI itself.
On December 14, Sturdivant sent the FBI agent images of knives.
Five days later, he pledged allegiance to ISIS and communicated his plan: to attack a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant in Mint Hill, with the aim of killing as many people as possible—up to around 20—using knives and hammers, during the night of December 31st.
The FBI searched his residence and found detailed notes on the planning of the attack and weapons, which, according to authorities, confirmed the level of preparation.
The federal prosecutor for the Western District of North Carolina, Russ Ferguson, stated that it was "a well-planned attack" and that "innocent people were going to die."
The young man planned to be shot by the police after carrying out the attack.
Sturdivant was arrested on the same day he intended to carry out the action and appeared in court this Friday. He was charged with attempted support of a terrorist organization, a crime that carries a punishment of up to 20 years in prison. He awaits a hearing scheduled for January 7.
Judicial documents cited by NBC News indicate that the security forces had been monitoring him since 2022. That year, when he was still a minor, he reportedly left his home dressed entirely in black with a hammer and a knife to kill a neighbor, but he was stopped by his grandfather, James Barnacle, before the attack occurred.
According to a sworn statement also mentioned by NBC News, Sturdivant planned to target a broad segment of American society, including non-Muslims, members of the LGBTQ community, police officers, and military personnel.
Ferguson explained that he chose a grocery store because he was "looking for a very busy place" and knew there would be a lot of people.
The case adds to a series of attacks and plots inspired by ISIS in the United States over the last decade.
About two weeks ago, an operation by the FBI prevented a large-scale bombing attack in Southern California, including Orange and Los Angeles counties.
Five members of a far-left group with pro-Palestinian, anti-government, and anti-capitalist stances were arrested. They planned to carry out attacks on the night of December 31, using backpacks loaded with homemade explosives placed at various strategic points.
The threat extended beyond civilian facilities.
Some of those involved also discussed plans to attack agents and vehicles of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the early months of next year, with the intention of causing deaths and instilling fear among law enforcement.
Federal authorities identified four of those arrested in California, while a fifth suspect was apprehended in New Orleans, where, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, he was planning a separate but related violent attack linked to the same extremist group.
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