Arrest of Afghan Man Charged with Conspiracy for 'Terrorist Attack' on US Election Day

The US Department of Justice has issued an indictment against an Afghan citizen for conspiracy to carry out a 'terrorist attack' on behalf of ISIS on the day of the presidential election. The statement, released on Tuesday evening, October 9, reported that Nasir Ahmad Tawhidi, a 27-year-old resident of Oklahoma City, confessed after his arrest that he was preparing an attack targeting a large number of people at an unspecified location. The statement from the US Department of Justice added that Tawhidi and his accomplice, whose name is not disclosed due to being a minor, expected to become 'martyrs' in this attack. According to information in the statement, this Afghan citizen arrived in the US in 2021 through a special immigration event and was awaiting the resolution of his immigration process. He had managed to acquire two semi-automatic Kalashnikov rifles and ammunition while simultaneously starting the process of selling his house and other assets to prepare for returning his family members to Afghanistan. The arrest of this Afghan citizen comes at a time when the possibility of terrorist attacks ahead of the presidential election has become a serious concern for the US government. The US Attorney's Office in the indictment against Nasir Ahmad Tawhidi states that an examination of the defendant's mobile phone memory by the FBI revealed that he had contacted someone he believed was affiliated with ISIS and was involved in 'recruitment and training' for the group. A video was also discovered showing the defendant reading a text about 'the rewards of martyrdom in the afterlife' for two children. The prosecution states that the defendant had archived ISIS propaganda in his iCloud and Google account, was a member of a pro-ISIS Telegram channel, and had donated to a charity that raises funds for this group. Christopher Wray, the FBI Director, stated, 'The defendant, influenced by ISIS, is charged with conspiracy to carry out a violent attack on election day.' The indictment does not specify how law enforcement became suspicious of this Afghan citizen. It only notes that an FBI informant contacted the defendant under the pretext of buying items he had put up for sale and reportedly sold him two Kalashnikov rifles. The defendant and his accomplice were arrested at a location in western Oklahoma shortly after purchasing the weapons and ammunition. Nasir Ahmad Tawhidi had received a special visa to the US aimed at facilitating the immigration of Afghan citizens who had assisted American forces.