BREAKING: ISIS-Linked Attack At Mall Of America Foiled

An alleged terror plot targeting a packed cultural celebration at the Mall of America ended Tuesday when federal authorities arrested an 18-year-old Minnesota man after he picked up a rifle and ammunition, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud allegedly singled out the mall’s Oct. 24 Hmong Arts Celebration because “it will be a lot of people,” court documents say. Authorities accuse him of discussing a mass shooting with an FBI informant and pledging allegiance to ISIS in a video posted last month.

“I just walk in and shoot,” Mohamud allegedly wrote in September after watching footage of the 2016 Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando, Florida.

The complaint, filed Wednesday, says Mohamud went to an arranged meeting in Richfield on Tuesday to buy an AK-47-style rifle for $600. Agents arrested him at gunpoint after he stepped out of an undercover employee’s vehicle carrying the weapon, four magazines and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition, according to an FBI affidavit.

The filing identifies the rifle as a Norinco AK-47, model Mac-90 Sporter, and the ammunition as live 7.62×39-caliber rounds.

Authorities allege Mohamud “knowingly received a firearm and ammunition” while knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, they would be used to commit a felony and a federal crime of terrorism. The alleged intended crimes included providing or conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

The Mall of America allegedly emerged as a target months before the planned weapons purchase.

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In July, Mohamud told an informant he could not afford to travel to Somalia and would instead launch an attack in the United States, according to the complaint. He allegedly insisted his motive would not be “for any worldly matter” but “for the sake of Allah only.”

Investigators say he initially discussed attacking either the Mall of America in Bloomington or Valleyfair amusement park in Shakopee around Christmas, possibly after buying two pistols online.

BREAKING: FBI ARRESTS 18-YEAR-OLD IN ALLEGED ISIS MASS-CASUALTY PLOT

Minnesota U.S. Attorney Dan Rosen says Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud has been charged with plotting an ISIS-inspired attack at the Mall of America. https://t.co/fnvum7rlid

— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) October 7, 2026

Mohamud allegedly said he wanted to target the mall “because it’s owned by Jewish.” He also cited last year’s deadly antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, as an inspiration, according to the complaint.

By September, authorities say, he had identified the Hmong Arts Celebration as the occasion for the attack. That same month, he allegedly uploaded a video to Discord pledging allegiance to ISIS.

The investigation involved a “confidential human source” who exchanged “hundreds of bi-directional messages through multiple social media and encrypted messaging applications” with Mohamud between December 2024 and Tuesday, the complaint says.

During those conversations, Mohamud allegedly “expressed his desire to travel to Somalia” to join al-Shabaab and “fight on its behalf and/or commit a mass casualty attack” in Minnesota.

FBI agents contacted his parents in May 2025. His father allegedly told them “he did not want to share any information pertaining to himself or his son” and referred them to his attorney.

Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson were scheduled to hold a news conference at noon Wednesday about “a significant counterterrorism law enforcement action.” Whether that announcement concerned Mohamud’s case was not immediately clear.

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