FBI Foils Alleged ISIS-Inspired Terror Plot Targeting Mall of America
Federal authorities have arrested an 18-year-old Minnesota man accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at the Mall of America, according to newly unsealed court records. Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, from Richfield, Minnesota, was taken into custody on Tuesday after allegedly purchasing an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines, and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI agent for $600. The arrest followed a sting operation that began in December 2024, when a confidential source working with the FBI started exchanging messages with Mohamud about either traveling to Somalia to fight for al-Shabaab or carrying out a mass casualty attack on U.S. soil.
Prosecutors say Mohamud, a U.S.-born citizen of Somali descent, planned to kill between 30 and 60 people at a festival taking place at the Mall of America in support of the Islamic State group. He appeared before a federal judge on Wednesday and faces one count of knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition in order to commit a federal crime of terrorism. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not disclosed further details about potential co-conspirators or the specific festival targeted.
The case highlights the ongoing threat of homegrown violent extremism and the FBI’s use of undercover operations to disrupt potential attacks before they occur. Mohamud remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The Mall of America, one of the largest shopping complexes in the United States, has been cited in past terror plots, underscoring the challenges of securing soft targets. This arrest serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and interagency cooperation in preventing mass violence.
Shimanta Das 
