The FBI foiled the attack. 18-year-old planned to “do jihad”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced on Friday that it had foiled an attack by an 18-year-old jihadist inspired by the ideology of the Islamic State. A man planned to attack customers at a North Carolina supermarket with hammers and knives, but was caught after revealing the plan to an undercover FBI agent.

As federal prosecutor Russ Ferguson announced at a press conference, Christian Sturdivant, 18, had detailed plans to attack a Burger King restaurant and a local supermarket in Mint Hill, a Charlotte suburb. He first attracted the attention of the services in 2022 due to his activity on social networking sites. Last December, he began making plans for the attack, and as he prepared, he revealed them to two undercover FBI agents.

The would-be attacker told one of them that he would “soon do jihad” and declared himself a “soldier of the (Islamic) State.” He was arrested on New Year's Eve, the day he was supposed to commit the attack. Tools and knives that he intended to use in the attack were found in his room.

The man was charged with supporting a terrorist organization, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison if the attack fails.

According to information provided by the FBI, this is another New Year's Eve attack foiled by the Bureau. In December, the service reported the arrest of a network of far-left activists who were planning bomb attacks on companies in Los Angeles.

From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)

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