FBI Arrests Teen in Alleged ISIS-Inspired Terror Plot at Mall of America: Inside the Undercover Sting

The FBI has arrested an 18-year-old man accused of planning a terrorist attack at the Mall of America in Minnesota after an undercover operation in which agents allegedly supplied him with an AK-47 and ammunition.

Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud was arrested Tuesday in a public park in Richfield after allegedly paying an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS member $600 for an assault rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Authorities said the operation disrupted an alleged plan to attack the Mall of America, one of the largest shopping centers in the United States.

Here’s what is known about the case.

who is the suspect

18-year-old Mohamud is an American citizen of Somali descent, according to US Attorney Daniel Rosen.

He appeared in federal court in St. Louis on Wednesday. Paul for the first hearing.

It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney available to comment on the allegations.

What did the FBI claim?

According to the criminal complaint, Mohamud repeatedly discussed plans to attack the Mall of America in messages exchanged with a confidential source.

Investigators say he intended to attack non-Muslims at the mall on Oct. 24, when a celebration of Hmong art was scheduled.

Rosen said the teenager expressed intent to kill potentially 30 to 60 people.

The FBI intervened before he could allegedly carry out the plan, authorities said.

How did the FBI sting work?

An undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS member joined the investigation.

According to the complaint, Mohamud communicated with the confidential informant for months before the FBI supplied him with the gun and ammunition.

He reportedly paid $600 for an AK-47 and 200 rounds of ammunition.

Agents arrested him immediately after the transaction in Richfield, a few miles northwest of the Mall of America.

The operation allowed investigators to document the alleged gun purchase while preventing the suspect from obtaining the firearm through an independent source.

When did the investigation begin?

The FBI first became aware of Mohamud in December 2024, according to the complaint.

That’s when the confidential source started exchanging messages with him.

In May 2025, investigators became so concerned about his activities that FBI agents went to his home.

According to the complaint, Mohamud’s mother told agents he was still in school and contacted his father. His father refused to speak to the agents and said he would give their contact information to his lawyer.

The investigation subsequently continued for almost two years before the arrest.

Why was ISIS mentioned?

The criminal complaint alleges that Mohamud expressed admiration for recent terrorist attacks and expressed interest in traveling to Somalia to join ISIS.

Investigators said he ultimately decided not to travel because he could not afford the trip.

Instead, he allegedly turned his attention to carrying out an attack in the U.S., with the Mall of America identified as his target, according to the complaint.

The charges describe an alleged progression from an interest in ISIS to discussions about a specific domestic target and finally an attempt to obtain a firearm and ammunition.

Why was the Mall of America allegedly targeted?

The complaint says Mohamud intended to attack the mall on Oct. 24, which coincides with a planned Hmong arts celebration.

Authorities did not say the reason for the alleged targeting outside of his presence at the mall was the event itself as of the date reported.

The Mall of America is a major public gathering place in Bloomington, Minnesota, where an alleged attack occurred that could have caused a large number of casualties.

What did the US attorney say?

U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen praised the FBI’s investigation, saying agents identified the threat before the alleged plan could be carried out.

“He was a radicalized young man who needed to be watched,” Rosen said.

He also urged parents to take seriously any signs that a child might be radicalized, especially if federal law enforcement raised the family’s concerns.

what next

Mohamud was arrested and appeared in federal court, but the allegations in the criminal complaint were not proven in court.

The federal case will now proceed through the court system, where prosecutors will have to prove the charges against him.

The FBI operation is also likely to draw attention as undercover agents supplied the alleged suspect with the firearm and ammunition used to set up the final phase of the investigation.

Authorities said the intervention prevented the alleged attack.

Read also | FBI Fires Accenture Contractor for Alleged Involvement in Data Breach