FBI agents apprehended an 18-year-old man Tuesday, thwarting a planned terror attack at the Mall of America in Minnesota. The suspect, Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, was taken into custody after purchasing an AK-47 and ammunition from an undercover FBI employee posing as an Islamic State (ISIS) member, according to a criminal complaint.
Authorities said Mohamud had been under investigation for nearly two years and had exchanged messages with a confidential informant, expressing his intent to carry out an attack targeting non-Muslims at the mall. The complaint states that he specifically planned to strike on Oct. 24, the date of a scheduled Hmong arts celebration.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen described Mohamud as a "radicalized young man" and stated that the FBI's investigation successfully detected and disrupted the threat before he could act on his intention to kill "maybe 30 to 60 people." Mohamud appeared in federal court in St. Paul on Wednesday for his initial hearing.
According to the complaint, Mohamud, an American-born U.S. citizen of Somali descent, expressed admiration for recent terror attacks and had previously considered traveling to Somalia to join ISIS. Ultimately, he decided he could not afford the travel and opted to attack the mall instead.
The FBI's initial contact with Mohamud occurred in December 2024, around the same time the confidential informant began communicating with him. By May 2025, agents visited his home due to their concerns. His mother informed them he was not yet home from school and contacted his father, who declined to speak with the agents and stated he would relay their contact information to his lawyer.
Rosen urged parents to heed warnings from federal law enforcement regarding potential radicalization of their children. Minnesota has a significant population of Somali descent, with some individuals having been previously charged with attempting to join terror groups.