"Undercover FBI officials posed as members of the Islamic State group to extract information about the intended attack, FBI Special Agent James Barnacle, Jr., US federal prosecutor Russ Ferguson and Mint Hill police chief Joseph Hatley told reporters. "He pledged his allegiance to ISIS with that undercover agent, and he disclosed his plans to 'do jihad' soon," Ferguson said, using one of multiple acronyms used to refer to the Islamic State terror group. He disclosed more details to another undercover official, according to Ferguson."
""He said he was going to wear a Kevlar vest and attack people with knives and hammers. And of course, he talked about when he was going to carry out this attack, which was New Year's Eve," Ferguson said. The man has been known to the authorities since 2022, when he was still a minor, because he had been "in contact via social media with an unidentified ISIS member," said Special Agent Barnacle."
An 18-year-old identified as Christian S. was arrested on December 31 and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He allegedly planned knife-and-hammer attacks at a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant in Mint Hill, a Charlotte suburb, timed for New Year's Eve. Undercover FBI officials posed as Islamic State members, obtained his pledge of allegiance and elicited details about the planned 'jihad.' Online messages and a home search indicated weapons and a Kevlar vest would be used. Authorities had known of the suspect since 2022 due to social-media contact with an unidentified ISIS member. A court ordered him held until January 7.
Read at www.dw.com
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