Federal law enforcement officials announced what they describe as a “significant counterterrorism law enforcement action” Wednesday in Minneapolis.

Prosecutors say Twin Cities resident Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, was arrested after allegedly attempting to acquire an AK-47-style rifle, magazines and ammunition as part of a planned attack at the Mall of America.

According to U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen, Mohamud was arrested Tuesday after a controlled undercover operation in a parking lot at a public park in Richfield. Investigators allege Mohamud expressed support for ISIS and discussed plans for a mass-casualty attack at the Bloomington shopping center.

Rosen said Mohamud was planning an attack at the Mall of America later this month with the intent to kill between 30 and 60 people.

FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson said Mohamud was “100-percent committed” to the alleged plot.

Dotson said Mohamud could not travel abroad to fight for ISIS, so he wanted to fight here in Minnesota.

According to the federal complaint, the FBI has been investigating Mohamud since December 2024. For nearly two years, Mohamud and a confidential source exchanged hundreds of messages through various social media platforms and encrypted messaging apps. In those messages, Mohamud allegedly said he wanted to travel to Somalia, join a foreign terrorist organization and fight or commit a mass-casualty attack in Minnesota on its behalf.

The FBI alleges that on Tuesday, Mohamud acquired a firearm and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from an undercover agent.

This is a developing story. More reporting to come.

Collected from Minnesota Public Radio News. View original source here.