US Authorities Arrest 18-Year-Old Accused of Plotting ISIL-Inspired Attack

Federal Authorities Charge NC Resident in Terrorist Plot

A federal investigation has led to the arrest and charging of an 18-year-old resident of Mint Hill, North Carolina. Christian Sturdivant, a US citizen, was identified as the suspect by officials from the US Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The targets of Sturdivant’s alleged plans were two businesses in Mint Hill: a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant.

According to authorities, Sturdivant was arrested on New Year’s Eve, the day of his planned attack. He has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. The suspect made his first court appearance on Friday.

Sturdivant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to US Attorney Russ Ferguson. Ferguson stated that Sturdivant had threatened other people’s lives and self-harm, but was denied involuntary commitment by a state magistrate judge.

The FBI has been investigating Sturdivant since 2022, after he attempted to contact the armed group ISIL (ISIS) through social media. The suspect received instructions to knock on doors and attack people with hammers, but his initial attempts were thwarted by his family. He was later discovered to have returned to social media and posted threatening messages.

Sturdivant allegedly made contact with two undercover officers: one from the New York Police Department and a covert agent with the FBI. The suspect direct-messaged the online covert employee with a picture of two hammers and a knife, and later sent a loyalty oath to ISIL and requested help obtaining firearms.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force collected evidence showing that Sturdivant turned his back on his country and fellow citizens by pledging allegiance to ISIS. The suspect was arrested on New Year’s Eve, just days after the state magistrate judge denied his request for involuntary commitment.

Source: Al Jazeera