FBI arrests Minnesota teenager over alleged Mall of America terrorist plot

Federal authorities have arrested an 18-year-old man in Minnesota after an alleged plot to carry out a terrorist attack at the Mall of America, multiple outlets reported on Wednesday. The Washington Examiner and Fox News identified the suspect as Sheikhdoon Mohamud, while Fox News reported his full name as Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud. The Washington Examiner noted that he is a United States citizen of Somali descent. [1][2][3][4][5][7]

According to the Washington Examiner, the arrest followed a yearslong sting operation conducted by the FBI. According to a unsealed federal criminal complaint cited by Fox News, the suspect pledged allegiance to ISIS and discussed carrying out a mass shooting at a crowded event at the retail venue in Bloomington, Minnesota. [2][3]

ABC7 San Francisco and the Boston Herald reported that federal agents supplied the teenager with an assault rifle prior to his arrest. Fox News detailed that the suspect was arrested after purchasing an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines, and 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI employee. The Daily Express reported that he was taken into custody at gunpoint. [3][5][6][8][11]

The Washington Examiner reported that the suspect allegedly intended to kill between 30 and 60 people during the planned attack at the Mall of America. The Daily Mail added that federal prosecutors announced charges against him following the operation. [1][2][7]