WASHINGTON DC, USA — An Afghan man arrested in Oklahoma last week for allegedly planning a mass shooting on Election Day was in direct communication with ISIS-K, the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State, according to two senior U.S. officials briefed on the matter.
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, was taken into custody by the FBI after attempting to purchase weapons and ammunition, including two AK-47 rifles and 10 magazines.
According to court documents, Tawhedi admitted to communicating with a contact named “Malik,” whom he understood to be associated with ISIS.
The plot, which was intended to target large gatherings on Election Day, represents a significant escalation in terrorist activity within the U.S., as it involved direct coordination with a foreign terrorist group rather than the self-radicalization cases more commonly seen in the past decade.
ISIS-K’s Growing Global Reach
ISIS-K, the Afghan-based branch of the Islamic State, has emerged as a major security threat beyond Afghanistan’s borders.
U.S. officials link the group to several deadly attacks this year, including a bombing at Crocus City Hall near Moscow in March, which killed 130 people and injured hundreds more.
This foiled Election Day attack adds to concerns about ISIS-K’s ability to operate internationally.
The FBI declined to comment on the organization’s role in Tawhedi’s plot, but intelligence officials have expressed growing unease over ISIS-K’s expanding operations.
Tawhedi’s Background and Family Connections
Tawhedi’s case has raised further questions due to his past employment as a security guard for the CIA in Afghanistan and his entry into the U.S. on a special immigrant visa in September 2021, just after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Court records indicate that Tawhedi underwent rigorous vetting as part of the resettlement process, and no prior concerns were identified.
Two U.S. officials also revealed that Tawhedi’s mother in Afghanistan is believed to be an ISIS sympathizer, adding to concerns about familial connections to extremist networks.
In a related development, French law enforcement arrested a 22-year-old family member of Tawhedi on October 8, just one day after Tawhedi’s arrest.
The French suspect had allegedly been planning a terrorist attack on either a soccer stadium or a shopping center, according to the Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office in Paris.
The French investigation began on September 27 and resulted in the arrest of two additional suspects in Toulouse and Fronton.
Those individuals were questioned and released, but French authorities confirmed that evidence of radicalization and support for Islamic State ideology was found in connection with the primary suspect.
International Terror Threat
ISIS-K’s involvement in multiple high-profile incidents worldwide — including an attack in Iran earlier this year that left dozens dead — highlights the group’s growing global presence.
Security officials warn that the group’s ability to coordinate attacks in Europe, the Middle East, and now the U.S. poses a significant threat.
The FBI and other federal agencies are working to determine the full extent of Tawhedi’s communications with ISIS-K operatives and whether additional suspects may be involved.
With Election Day approaching, the thwarted plot underscores the persistent risks posed by international terrorist networks and highlights the challenges facing law enforcement agencies as they work to prevent further attacks.
