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An 18-year-old Minnesota man who allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS and discussed the possibility of a mass shooting at the Mall of America was arrested after purchasing an AK-47-style rifle, magazines and ammunition from an undercover FBI employee, according to documents recently filed in federal court.
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud reportedly spent months discussing his desire to carry out an attack, telling a confidential FBI source in September: “I can’t wait to kill a kuffar.” October 24 is the day insha Allah,” according to an affidavit filed in federal court in Minnesota.
When the source later asked him why he chose Oct. 24, Mohamud allegedly referred to a “celebration of Hmong arts” at the Mall of America, saying it would bring “a lot of people,” the affidavit said.
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Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, was arrested after FBI officials said he allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS and discussed a mass shooting at the Mall of America. (U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota)
“Muhammad met with someone he believed to be a loyal member of ISIS in an attempt to purchase an AK-47 rifle, knowing it would be used in a felony or federal terrorism offense,” Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office, Christopher Dotson, said at a news conference Wednesday. “Mohammed planned to use the gun he purchased in a busy public place just a few weeks ago in support of a designated foreign terrorist organization.”
Mohamud is now charged with knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition while knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that they would be used to commit a felony and a federal crime of terrorism.
The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, file)
Mohamud, who was born in the United States and is a U.S. citizen, is the son of Somali nationals who later became naturalized U.S. citizens, multiple federal law enforcement sources told Fox News Digital.
His parents arrived in the United States via a New York airport in 2000, according to the sources, although it remains unclear whether they entered on a visa or as refugees. Her mother became a naturalized citizen in 2010 and her father in 2017.
FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital in a statement that the suspect “reportedly obtained a weapon he hoped to use in a mass-casualty attack in support of ISIS, but this FBI arrested him and put a stop to his plans.”
“Once again, the FBI is acting more effectively than ever to stop terrorists before they can attack Americans – with more than 1,100 individuals prevented from carrying out attacks, more than 4,000 disruptions and arrests linked to foreign terrorist organizations, a 38 percent increase and counting,” Patel said. “We will continue to use every resource we have to detect and prevent acts of terrorism and take down their networks across the country. Thank you to the Minneapolis FBI, who did an outstanding job in the investigation and likely saved lives.”
FBI Director Kash Patel leads a news conference at the Justice Department. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, file)
President Donald Trump also praised the FBI’s handling of the case during a speech to reporters Wednesday.
“I’ve heard about it. And they’ve done a great job. The FBI has done a great job,” Trump said.
Mohamud appeared before a federal judge in Minnesota on Wednesday for an initial eight-minute hearing, according to federal court records.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright ordered Mohamud’s temporary detention. He is due back in court on Monday, October 19 at 11 a.m. ET for a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing.
The arrest ended an FBI investigation that began around December 2024 and ultimately involved a confidential human source who communicated extensively with Mohamud through encrypted messaging and social media platforms, according to investigators.
These conversations initially centered around Mohamud’s alleged desire to leave the United States and join al-Shabaab, the Somalia-based terrorist organization. In May, he reportedly told the source that he was “so excited about doing hijrah” and wanted to go to Somalia, get married and “fight the enemies of Allah.” He said he planned to work for about six weeks to save $2,000 on a plane ticket, according to the affidavit.
But by July, investigators say his plans had changed.
Mohamud reportedly told the source that he did not have enough money to travel to Somalia and wrote: “so I will attack here.” He then discussed purchasing two guns online and visiting the Mall of America or the Minnesota State Fair around Christmas, according to the affidavit.
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Mohamud reportedly considered attacking the Mall of America with an assault rifle and told the source he could “go straight to the crowded place and start shooting.” In September, investigators say he also sent the source a selfie-style video pledging allegiance to ISIS and its leader.
The FBI then arranged a secret weapons deal. On September 25, the source told Mohamud that a “brother” could sell him an AK-style rifle, magazines and ammunition, and Mohamud reportedly indicated that he wanted the weapon to be fully automatic.
On Tuesday, Mohamud met with the alleged ISIS-linked “brother” — actually an undercover FBI employee — and allegedly paid $800 for an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines and about 200 rounds of ammunition. The rifle had become unusable, even though the ammunition was full. During the meeting, Mohamud allegedly said he planned to carry out a shooting at a “kuffar festival” at the Mall of America.
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Mohamud left the vehicle with the rifle, magazines and ammunition in a duffel bag and was arrested at gunpoint by FBI agents, according to the affidavit.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
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