The US Federal Bureau of Investigation said it prevented a suspected attack on the Mall of America shopping center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. According to The Hill, law enforcement officers detained 18-year-old Sheikhdun Abdullahi Mogamud in a public park on Tuesday after a suspected controlled purchase of weapons and ammunition.
According to a federal complaint described by US Attorney Daniel Rosen, Mogamud corresponded with a confidential informant. Investigators allege that he paid $600 to an undercover FBI employee posing as a member of the Islamic State group for an AK-47 rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition.
As the outlet reported, the investigation lasted nearly two years. In text messages to the FBI’s confidential source, Mogamud repeatedly confirmed his intention to carry out an attack aimed at killing non-Muslims, according to the complaint.
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Attorney General Todd Blanche thanked local and federal law enforcement agencies for their work. According to him, Mogamud allegedly sent the confidential source messages supporting the Islamic State and propaganda videos.
FBI Director Kash Patel also commented on the operation, saying that the bureau identifies terrorism suspects before they can attack Americans. At the time of publication, it was not known whether the detainee had a lawyer who could comment on the case on his behalf.
