FBI Arrests Sheik Mohamud After AK-47 Buy for Mall of America Plot

FBI Stops T*RRORISTS-Inspired Mass Shooting Plot at Mall of America — Suspect Planned to Kill 60 Non-Muslims

The FBI and Department of Justice arrested an 18-year-old American citizen moments after he purchased an AK-47 and 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover agent in a Richfield, Minnesota park. Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, whose parents emigrated from Somalia, had been planning a mass casualty attack at the Mall of America targeting non-Muslims during a cultural celebration.

Court documents show Mohamud had been under federal counterterrorism surveillance since 2024. Agents monitored hundreds of his messages across social media and encrypted platforms. Prosecutors say he pledged allegiance to T*RRORISTS a year earlier and repeatedly expressed his desire to travel overseas to fight for the group.

🚨 BREAKING: The DOJ and FBI have THWARTED a planned TERRORIST ATTACK by a Somali at the Mall of America in Minnesota

Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, said he planned to kiII 30 to 60 NON-MUSLIMS in the ISIS-inspired attacked

Mohamud bought an AK-47 and 200 rounds of ammo, and… pic.twitter.com/5tDmnACRFl

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 7, 2026

In one message, Mohamud wrote that he wanted to fight in Somalia to support T*RRORISTS. When he could not afford a flight overseas, he shifted his focus to a domestic attack. He selected the Mall of America as his target and chose October 24, during a Hmong arts celebration, as the date. He stated his intent to kill Chinese, Vietnamese, and other non-Muslims attending the event.

Mohamud told contacts he was 100 percent committed to the attack. He expected to kill between 30 and 60 people. He also expressed hope that he would die during the attack rather than face arrest and imprisonment. In messages to the undercover FBI agent, he explained that he chose the Mall of America because it is owned by Jews.

On the day before his arrest, Mohamud met the undercover agent in a public park in Richfield, just south of Minneapolis. He paid $600 for the rifle, four magazines, and the ammunition. Agents arrested him immediately after the transaction. Investigators have found no evidence that anyone else was involved in the planning.

The case highlights the continued threat posed by homegrown radicalization tied to foreign t*rrorist organizations. Mohamud’s communications show a progression from online pledges of support for T*RRORISTS to concrete steps toward violence when overseas travel proved impossible. Federal agents maintained the investigation over multiple years, intercepting the plot before any attack could occur.

Minnesota has seen repeated cases of individuals from Somali communities drawn to Islamist extremism. This latest arrest reinforces concerns about the integration challenges and security risks that accompany large-scale immigration from regions with active t*rrorist groups. The successful intervention by the DOJ and FBI demonstrates the value of sustained counterterrorism operations focused on domestic threats.

The criminal complaint details how Mohamud moved from abstract support for T*RRORISTS to acquiring weapons and selecting a specific date and location. His stated goal of maximizing casualties among non-Muslims at a public gathering place aligns with the tactics long promoted by the t*rrorists. Authorities acted decisively once he crossed into purchasing firearms, preventing the attack from advancing further.

This incident adds to the record of law enforcement successes in stopping plots before they reach execution. It also underscores the persistent challenge of monitoring radicalized individuals who turn to domestic targets when international jihad is not feasible. The details released so far indicate a lone actor who operated within the United States while drawing inspiration from an overseas t*rrorist network.

The Mall of America, located in Bloomington, Minnesota, is one of the largest shopping centers in the United States. It attracts millions of visitors each year. A successful attack during a crowded cultural event would have resulted in mass casualties and national trauma.

Federal authorities credit the sustained counterterrorism investigation with preventing the attack. The FBI’s use of undercover agents and surveillance of encrypted communications allowed them to track Mohamud’s progression from rhetoric to action. The arrest came at the moment he took possession of the weapon, ensuring no opportunity for the plot to advance.

The case raises questions about the effectiveness of current immigration screening and integration policies. Mohamud is a birthright citizen, but his radicalization occurred within the United States. His parents emigrated from Somalia, a country with a long history of Islamist extremism and active t*rrorist organizations.

Conservative lawmakers have long warned about the risks posed by large-scale immigration from regions with active t*rrorist groups. This case provides concrete evidence that radicalization can occur among second-generation immigrants who grow up in the United States but maintain connections to extremist ideologies from their parents’ countries of origin.

The successful intervention by the FBI demonstrates that law enforcement can stop these plots when given the tools and resources to monitor and infiltrate extremist networks. The arrest also shows that the threat of domestic t*rrorism inspired by foreign groups remains real and requires constant vigilance.

Mohamud now faces federal charges related to the plot. The details released in the criminal complaint show a clear intent to carry out mass murder in the name of T*RRORISTS. His stated preference for dying during the attack rather than facing prosecution aligns with the martyrdom ideology promoted by the t*rrorists.

The arrest comes as the Biden administration continues to face criticism over its immigration and national security policies. Republicans have pointed to cases like this as evidence that current screening procedures are inadequate and that the republic faces real threats from individuals radicalized by foreign t*rrorist organizations.

The Mall of America has not commented publicly on the plot. The facility has its own security force and has implemented various safety measures in recent years. The arrest of Mohamud before he could carry out the attack likely prevented a tragedy that would have shocked the nation and raised serious questions about the vulnerability of soft targets to t*rrorist attacks.