Federal prosecutors have charged an 18-year-old Minnesota man after the FBI says it disrupted an alleged plan to carry out a mass-casualty attack at the Mall of America later this month.
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, of Richfield, is charged with knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition while knowing or having reasonable cause to believe they would be used to commit a felony or federal crime of terrorism, according to federal prosecutors.
The charge is an allegation. Mohamud is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
FBI describes an undercover operation
According to the criminal complaint, Mohamud had been communicating with a confidential source and allegedly discussed plans for an attack at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, on October 24, during a scheduled Hmong community arts celebration.
Prosecutors allege that Mohamud discussed killing dozens of people and expressed support for extremist violence. Those statements are allegations attributed to the government’s complaint and have not been proven at trial.
Authorities said Mohamud was arrested Tuesday during an arranged transaction in Richfield after paying $600 to an undercover FBI employee for an AK-47-style rifle, four magazines and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition.
Federal officials said the rifle had been rendered inert before the transaction. The ammunition was live.
Court appearance Wednesday
Mohamud made his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday and was represented by a federal public defender, according to reporting from the Associated Press and Minnesota news organizations.
The case remains at an early stage. A criminal complaint contains allegations from investigators; it is not a finding of guilt.
Why the case matters
The case highlights the FBI’s use of confidential sources and undercover operations in domestic counterterrorism investigations. Federal officials said investigators had been monitoring Mohamud for an extended period before Tuesday’s arrest.
Zark News will continue to follow the court proceedings and update this report when consequential new information is filed or confirmed.
Featured image: Archival exterior of the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, photographed April 2, 2021. Photo by Tyler Vigen/Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cropped if displayed by the Zark News theme. The image does not depict the alleged plot, arrest or court proceeding.
Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office/District of Minnesota criminal complaint and public statements; Associated Press; Minnesota Public Radio.
