Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi of Afghanistan pleaded guilty in federal court in Oklahoma City on Friday to trying to support the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham and obtaining guns and ammunition to commit terrorism, the U.S. Justice Department stated.
“By pledging allegiance to ISIS and plotting an attack against innocent Americans on Election Day,” the 27-year-old put lives in danger “and gravely betrayed the nation that gave him refuge,” stated Pam Bondi, the U.S. attorney general.
“Today’s guilty plea guarantees he will be held accountable, stripped of his immigration status and permanently removed from the United States, and shows the Justice Department has zero tolerance for those who exploit our freedoms to spread violence,” Bondi said.
Tawhedi admitted that he conspired with at least one other person, Abdullah Haji Zada, to buy “two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition and 10 magazines, with the intent to carry out a mass-casualty attack on or around Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, on behalf of ISIS,” according to court documents.
After the two bought the guns and ammo from an undercover FBI agent, they were arrested on Oct. 7, 2024. Zada, 18, pleaded guilty in April and will be sentenced as an adult, per the Justice Department. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Tawhedi faces up to 35 years on both charges.
“Upon completion of any sentence, Tawhedi and Zada will be permanently removed from the United States and barred from reentry under stipulated judicial orders of removal to Afghanistan,” the Justice Department said.
