Minnesota Teen Accused of Mall of America Attack Plot to Remain in Jail

A federal judge ruled Monday that an 18-year-old Minnesota resident accused of plotting a terror attack at the Mall of America will remain in custody, citing him as a risk to the community and a flight risk. Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, an American-born U.S. citizen of Somali descent, was arrested on Oct. 6 after purchasing an AK-47, ammunition, and magazines from an undercover FBI employee posing as a member of the Islamic State group.

During a hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar stated that Mohamud was "100% committed" to carrying out the attack on behalf of ISIS and had come "as close to committing a terrorist attack as he could have gotten." FBI Special Agent Keegan Rupenthal testified that Mohamud intended to harm as many people as possible and that his "ultimate goal was to become a martyr." Rupenthal added that Mohamud pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group's leader upon his arrest.

Mohamud had been on the FBI's radar since December 2024, when he began communicating with a confidential informant. According to an FBI affidavit, Mohamud initially expressed interest in traveling to Somalia to join al-Shabab militants. However, after expressing admiration for past terrorist attacks in the U.S. and determining he lacked the funds for overseas travel, he decided to plan an attack in Minnesota. Rupenthal testified that the informant repeatedly informed Mohamud of the seriousness of his plans and that he could withdraw, but Mohamud maintained he was "100% committed."

Authorities said Mohamud planned to attack the Mall of America on Oct. 24, coinciding with a scheduled arts celebration by the Hmong community, Minnesota's largest Asian ethnic group. Mohamud was arrested at a public park in Richfield, a Minneapolis suburb where he lived.

Mohamud's attorney, Manny Atwal, argued that her client was only 16 when the informant first contacted him and that the FBI supplied all weapons accessed by Mohamud. She requested he be held in a halfway house with GPS monitoring and no internet access.

The FBI has utilized sting operations, in which agents pose as terror supporters and provide advice or equipment, to thwart numerous alleged attacks. Critics contend that this strategy can sometimes constitute entrapment.

FBI agents visited Mohamud's home in May 2025 out of concern. His mother informed them he was not yet home from school and contacted his father, who reportedly declined to speak with agents and stated he would have his lawyer contact them, according to the complaint.

Minnesota is home to tens of thousands of residents of Somali descent, many of whom arrived as refugees in the 1990s. In past years, several individuals from the community have been charged with attempting to join militant groups.