ISIS-inspired New Year’s Eve attack thwarted in North Carolina, 18-year-old arrested, US Attorney says, ‘target was..’

On New Year’s Eve, a major terrorist attack was reportedly being planned in the United States. The FBI announced on Friday that it had foiled a potential ISIS-inspired attack in North Carolina and arrested an 18-year-old suspected of planning it. After a months-long investigation, the suspect, Christian Sturdivant, was apprehended on New Year’s Eve. According to authorities, the plot was foiled before any harm could be done.

Who was arrested in connection with the planned New Year’s Eve attack in North Carolina?

A grocery store and a fast-food restaurant in Mint Hill were the suspected targets of Sturdivant’s alleged plans, as reported by Al Jazeera news. At a news conference, US Attorney Russ Ferguson stated,” Countless lives were saved here. “On New Year’s Eve, everyone is at the grocery store. We’re all buying the things we need to celebrate. And we could have had a significant, significant loss of life, a significant injury here,” reported by Al Jazeera.

What was the nature of the ISIS-inspired plot that was foiled?

US Attorney Russ Ferguson clarified that on the day of his intended attack, New Year’s Eve, Sturdivant was taken into custody. The 18-year-old appeared in court on Friday after being accused of “attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation.”

According to Ferguson, Sturdivant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. However, Ferguson expressed his disappointment with the judicial system at the press conference by complaining for failing to approve an earlier effort to detain Sturdivant on mental health grounds, as mentioned by the report. Ferguson was appointed by President Doland Trump.

What weapons and materials were found during the search of the suspect’s home?

The FBI, in a statement, said, “The FBI and our law enforcement partners thwarted a potential terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve in North Carolina. The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS.”

FBI Director Kash Patel stated, “Thanks to our great partners for working with us and undoubtedly saving lives.” According to investigators, Sturdivant has been planning his attack for about a year. A search of his residence on December 29 uncovered knives and hammers hidden under his bed as well as extensive documentation detailing how he intends to carry out his plan of mass murder. As reported by the Guardian, Ferguson states that suspect’s notes indicated he intended to target Jews, Christians, and LGBTQ+ people. Sturdivant intended on committing suicide by attacking police officers when they arrived on the scene.