FBI Foils ISIS-Inspired New Year’s Eve Attack in North Carolina
The FBI says it disrupted a terror plot targeting Americans celebrating New Year’s Eve.
The FBI says the 18-year-old suspect planned to attack a grocery store and the Burger King where he worked on New Year’s Eve in Mint Hill, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte using knives and hammers.
The suspect, Christian Sturdivant, was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS). Sturdivant was arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
“The accused allegedly wanted to be a soldier for ISIS and made plans to commit a violent attack on New Year’s Eve in support of that terrorist group, but the FBI and our partners put a stop to that,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “It is essential to work closely with our law enforcement partners and to quickly share information about potential threats, as demonstrated in this case.”
Plot Details
According to arrest documents, Sturdivant was planning the New Year’s Eve attack for approximately a year, but was plotting an attack in general for far longer. The suspect allegedly spent a lot of time reading about ISIS on the internet and creating TikTok videos about the terror group.
“It was a very well-planned, thoughtful attack that he had planned, and that was fortunately foiled. Here he was preparing for jihad, and innocent people were going to die, and we were very, very fortunate they did not,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson of the Western District of North Carolina.
During a search of Sturdivant’s home, law enforcement found notes detailing the attack plan, materials for the attack, and the goal of “stabbing as many civilians as possible.”
Prosecutors say the alleged plot was foiled after Sturdivant began communicating online with an individual he believed to be affiliated with ISIS but was a government online covert employee.
Sturdivant remains in federal custody and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.