Abdullah Haji Zada, 19, was sentenced on Nov. 19 to 15 years in federal prison after he sought firearms for a planned, ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in the United States on Election Day in November 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Zada, who was 17 when he was arrested, is an Afghan citizen and a U.S. lawful permanent resident. He entered his guilty plea as an adult in April to “conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS, a designated terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive and conspiring to receive” two AK-47-style rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition.
According to court documents, Zada and co-conspirator Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 28, planned to use the weapons “in connection with a terrorist attack” on behalf of ISIS. Both were arrested in October 2024.
“Zada was welcomed into the United States and provided with all the opportunities available to residents of our nation, yet he chose to embrace terrorism and plot an ISIS-inspired attack on Election Day,” John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general, stated.
He added that Zada’s sentence and eventual removal from the country “reflect the seriousness of his betrayal and our commitment to using every tool at our disposal to detect and disrupt such plots.”
As part of his plea, Zada agreed not to challenge his eventual deportation to Afghanistan after serving his sentence, which will terminate his U.S. resident status.
Tawhedi, who pleaded guilty in June, faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison for the material support charge and up to 15 years in prison for the firearms charge. His sentencing date is pending.
