WASHINGTON, Jan 2 (KUNA) -- The FBI unveiled on Friday the identity of the person accused of planning to carry out a "terror" attack inspired by the ISIS on people inside a grocery store and fast-food restaurant in North Carolina on New Year's Eve.
Christian Sturdivant is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, US Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson said.
Sturdivant, 18, of Mint Hill - a town outside Charlotte - was arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, he added.
Prosecutors said the alleged plot was foiled after Sturdivant recently began communicating online with an individual, he "believed to be affiliated with ISIS but in reality was a government online covert employee," who is referred to in a criminal complaint as "OC." In one of the communications on December 14, Sturdivant allegedly sent the OC an image of two hammers and a knife.
"During his online communications with the OC, Sturdivant said, 'I will do jihad soon,' and proclaimed he was 'a soldier of the state,' meaning ISIS," the US Attorney's Office said. "In subsequent online communications with the OC, Sturdivant indicated that he planned to attack a specific grocery store in North Carolina and discussed plans to purchase a firearm to use along with the knives during the attack," it added. Ferguson said during a press conference on Friday that the attack was planned to take place in Mint Hill.
"He talked about where he was planning to do this attack, which was at a grocery store and a fast food restaurant in Mint Hill. Places that we go every day and don't think that we may be harmed," Ferguson added.
"He was preparing for jihad, and innocent people were going to die. And we were very, very fortunate they did not," Ferguson also said.
"The FBI and our partners continued working 24/7 over the holidays protecting the American people, and this case out of Charlotte foiling another alleged New Years Eve attacker is the latest example of their tremendous work," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Our teams quickly identified the threat and acted decisively - no doubt saving American lives in the process. Thanks to our Joint Terrorism Task Force and regional partners both in New York and Western North Carolina for their efforts." Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that, "This successful collaboration between federal and local law enforcement saved American lives from a horrific terrorist attack on New Year's Eve." "The Department of Justice remains vigilant in our pursuit of evil ISIS sympathizers - anyone plotting to commit such depraved attacks will face the full force of the law," she continued.
Prosecutors said a law enforcement search of Sturdivant's residence on December 29 uncovered various handwritten documents, one of which was titled "New Years Attack 2026," and "listed, among other things, items such as a vest, mask, tactical gloves, and two knives allegedly to be used in the attack." Sturdivant remains held in federal custody, and if convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, prosecutors said. (pickup previous) rsr.maa.hm