The attacker had planned to use knives and hammers to conduct an attack at a grocery store and fast food restaurant on New Year’s Eve. He has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terror organisation.
A potential terror attack was thwarted in North Carolina, the United States (US), on New Year’s Eve, said the Department of Justice on Friday (local time), adding that officials have also arrested an 18-year-old who was inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The attacker has been identified as 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant, was arrested in a suburb of North Carolina’s Mint Hill.
The attacker had planned to use knives and hammers to conduct an attack at a grocery store and fast food restaurant on New Year’s Eve. He has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terror organisation.
“The Department of Justice remains vigilant in our pursuit of evil ISIS sympathizers — anyone plotting to commit such depraved attacks will face the full force of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a press release.
How was he nabbed?
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Sturdivant had sworn allegiance to ISIS and wanted to be a ‘martyr’ by conducting an attack on New Year’s Eve. Last month, the FBI received details that he was making multiple social media posts in support of ISIS. In one of his posts, he shared an image depicting two miniature figurines of Jesus and wrote in the caption, “May Allah curse the cross worshipers.”
Following this, the FBI started tracking the teen. He was also communicating with an online covert employee (OC), whom he told that he would “do jihad soon”, adding that he was a “soldier” of ISIS. The FBI said Sturdivant also sent OC an image of two hammers and a knife, adding that he was also planning to purchase firearms.
Handwritten documents
On December 29, the FBI conducted searches at his residence and found handwritten documents titled “New Years Attack 2026”. “The document listed items such as a vest, mask, tactical gloves, and two knives, allegedly to be used in the attack. It also described a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible, with the total number of victims to be as high as 20 to 21,” the FBI started.
Additionally, the officials also seized a blue hammer, a wooden handled hammer, and two butcher knives from Sturdivant’s bedroom. He was arrested after this, the FBI stated, adding that he is currently in federal custody. If he gets convicted, then he will face a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
“It is essential to work closely with our law enforcement partners and to quickly share information about potential threats, as demonstrated in this case. The message from the FBI is clear — anyone who supports ISIS or other terrorist groups cannot hide and will be held accountable in our justice system,” FBI Director Kash Patel said.
