Oklahoma City man faces charges related to planned Election Day terrorist attack, authorities say

By Janelle Stecklein

Oklahoma Voice

An Oklahoma City man has been charged with planning an Election Day terrorist attack, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

Authorities allege that Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, and an unnamed juvenile obtained AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition and conspired to provide support to ISIS to conduct an attack, according to a press release.

Authorities said Tawhedi has been charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and receiving a firearm to commit a felony or federal crime of terrorism. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the latter offense.

Federal investigators said Tawhedi allegedly admitted that he planned to target large gatherings of people and said the two expected to “die as martyrs.” Tawhedi had also taken steps to liquidate his family’s assets and resettle his relatives overseas, officials said.

It wasn’t clear Tuesday evening if he had an attorney.

The complaint alleges that Tawhedi and a juvenile co-conspirator advertised the sale of personal property on Facebook. A confidential source asked if a computer was still for sale, which ultimately led Tawhedi and the youth to meet with the buyer at a rural location to test firearms.

On Monday, Tawhedi and the juvenile met with an FBI asset at a rural property and bought and received two AK-47 assault rifles, 10 magazines and 500 rounds of ammunition, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities then arrested Tawhedi and the juvenile.

“Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI, National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and federal prosecutors in my office, the alleged plan to commit an attack on Election Day was disrupted and Mr. Tawhedi was arrested,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma in a statement. “Fighting terrorism remains the top priority of the Justice Department. We will continue to pursue, disrupt, and hold accountable those who plot to commit acts of terrorism against our country and our people."

Oklahoma U.S. Senator James Lankford said in a statement that Tawhedi is an Afghan refugee. The Republican said he’d been in direct contact with the FBI about the case for a while.

“The charges brought against Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi in Oklahoma for plotting an Election Day terrorist attack on US soil is a stark reminder that our nation continues to face threats from those who hate our freedom and want to do us harm,” he said. “I’m grateful to the FBI, especially the Oklahoma FBI Field Office, and our local law enforcement agencies for their vigilance and dedication to protect our communities. Their swift action prevented what could have been a devastating attack.”