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An 18-year-old from Mint Hill, North Carolina, is accused of plotting a deadly New Year’s Eve onslaught successful enactment of the Islamic State successful Iraq and al-Sham, earlier FBI agents moved successful to halt him.
The fishy was identified arsenic Christian Sturdivant, who planned to stab civilians astatine nationalist locations utilizing knives, firearms and hammers, with the purpose of sidesplitting arsenic galore radical arsenic possible.Sturdivant was arrested connected December 31, 2025, and has been charged with attempting to supply worldly enactment to a overseas violent organisation. The transgression ailment was unsealed aft helium appeared successful national tribunal successful Charlotte.
He remains successful custody.Officials said the alleged crippled targeted a market store and a accelerated nutrient edifice and was successful its last stages. Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “This palmy collaboration betwixt national and section instrumentality enforcement saved American lives from a horrific terrorist attack connected New Year’s Eve.”
According to tribunal documents, the FBI became alert of Sturdivant connected December 18, 2025, aft receiving accusation astir societal media posts successful which helium praised ISIS, a designated violent organisation by galore countries. Earlier that month, helium allegedly shared an representation mocking Christianity, accompanied by hateful connection akin to ISIS propaganda calling for unit against non-believers.
According to the FBI, Sturdivant began communicating online with an undercover national cause posing arsenic an ISIS supporter. During those conversations, Sturdivant allegedly said, “I volition bash jihad soon,” and referred to himself arsenic “a worker of the state,” a operation linked to ISIS. On December 14, helium sent the national cause an representation showing 2 hammers and a knife. Prosecutors accidental the representation was akin to ISIS propaganda encouraging weapon attacks successful Western countries.
On December 19, helium allegedly sent a dependable signaling pledging loyalty to ISIS.FBI Director Kash Patel said, “The accused allegedly wanted to beryllium a worker for ISIS and made plans to perpetrate a convulsive onslaught connected New Year’s Eve successful enactment of that violent group, but the FBI and our partners enactment a halt to that.”A hunt of Sturdivant’s location connected December 29 uncovered handwritten notes, including 1 titled “New Years Attack 2026”.
Prosecutors accidental the papers listed instrumentality specified arsenic a vest, mask, tactical gloves and knives, and described a program to stab up to 20 oregon 21 civilians. The enactment besides includes a alleged “martyrdom op” successful which Sturdivant intended to onslaught constabulary responding to the country truthful helium would dice arsenic a martyr.John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said, “As alleged, Sturdivant aspired to go a ‘martyr’ for ISIS and was successful the last stages of readying a mass-casualty onslaught connected New Year’s Eve.”The FBI said they recovered 2 butcher knives and 2 hammers hidden nether Sturdivant’s bed, on with a database of targets and tactical gear. Investigators judge these items matched those shown successful messages sent to the undercover contact.If convicted, Sturdivant faces up to 20 years successful national prison. Prosecutors said that the charges stay allegations and that helium is presumed guiltless unless proven blameworthy successful court.
