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Man eyed Minnesota's Mall of America for attack, pledging allegiance to ISIS, federal prosecutors say
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- An 18-year-old Minnesota man, Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, was arrested at gunpoint during a sting operation after allegedly planning a mass casualty attack at Mall of America, according to a federal complaint.
- Mohamud communicated extensively with an FBI informant from December 2024 to October 2025, expressing intentions to join al-Shabaab in Somalia or carry out an attack in Minnesota, motivated by extremist ideology.
- He reportedly targeted the Mall of America because of its Jewish ownership and was inspired by prior antisemitic and mass casualty attacks, including those in Sydney and Orlando.
- The FBI attempted to warn Mohamud’s parents about his radicalization in May 2025, but they were uncooperative, highlighting concerns about parental involvement in preventing extremism.
- Mohamud was apprehended while acquiring an assault rifle and ammunition, and he faces charges related to terrorism and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
