FBI Says Mall of America Attack Plot Stopped After Undercover Operation

The FBI says it has disrupted an alleged terror attack planned against the Mall of America after an 18-year-old man was arrested during an undercover operation.

Federal authorities say Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, had been under investigation for almost two years and had exchanged messages with a confidential FBI informant before his arrest.

According to prosecutors, Mohamud expressed an intention to carry out an attack at the Minnesota shopping centre and discussed targeting people who were not Muslim.

The FBI says its undercover operation allowed agents to intervene before an attack could take place.

Arrest followed undercover investigation

Mohamud was arrested Tuesday in a public park in Richfield, Minnesota, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities allege that he purchased a firearm and ammunition from an undercover FBI employee who was posing as a member of Islamic State.

The FBI says the transaction was part of a lengthy investigation into Mohamud's alleged plans.

US Attorney Daniel Rosen said investigators believed they had identified a radicalised young man who presented a potential threat.

Authorities allege that Mohamud had discussed carrying out an attack that could have killed dozens of people.

He appeared in federal court in St Paul on Wednesday wearing a jail uniform.

It was not immediately known whether he had a lawyer available to comment on his behalf.

Mall attack allegedly planned

According to the criminal complaint, Mohamud repeatedly discussed attacking the Mall of America.

Investigators allege that he had identified 24 October as the intended date for the attack, coinciding with a scheduled Hmong arts celebration at the shopping centre.

The allegations have not been tested in court.

Authorities say Mohamud had expressed support for previous terrorist attacks and had discussed travelling to Somalia to join Islamic State.

According to the complaint, he ultimately decided against travelling overseas and instead focused on carrying out an attack in Minnesota.

FBI first became aware of Mohamud in 2024

The investigation began in December 2024, when the FBI's confidential source started communicating with Mohamud, according to court documents.

By May 2025, investigators were sufficiently concerned that agents visited his home.

The complaint says agents spoke with his mother, who contacted Mohamud's father.

Authorities say his father declined to speak with the agents and indicated that future communication should go through a lawyer.

The investigation nevertheless continued for another period before the FBI carried out the undercover operation that led to the arrest.

Warning to families

US Attorney Rosen used the case to issue a warning to parents who may be concerned that a young person is becoming radicalised.

He said families should take seriously any warning from federal law enforcement that their child may be moving towards extremist violence.

The case highlights the difficulty authorities face in identifying potential attacks before violence occurs, particularly when concerns centre on online communications and radicalisation.

No attack took place

The FBI says its investigation prevented the alleged plan from progressing to an attack.

There were no reports of an attack taking place at the Mall of America.

The shopping centre is one of the largest retail and entertainment complexes in the United States and attracts millions of visitors.

The alleged targeting of such a busy public location has nevertheless raised concerns about the potential consequences had investigators not intervened.

The wider Minnesota context

Minnesota has a large Somali-American community, with tens of thousands of people of Somali descent living in the state.

Federal authorities have previously investigated and prosecuted individuals from Minnesota over allegations involving attempts to join Islamic State and other extremist organisations.

Those cases have also prompted wider discussions about radicalisation, community engagement and the role of families and authorities in identifying warning signs.

The FBI has not suggested that Minnesota's wider Somali-American community is responsible for the actions alleged against Mohamud.

The legal case now begins

Mohamud now faces the federal legal process.

The allegations contained in the criminal complaint remain allegations unless and until they are proven in court.

His arrest does not establish guilt.

The investigation will now continue as prosecutors prepare the case and the court considers the evidence.

For the FBI, however, the case represents what authorities describe as a successful intervention before an alleged terror plot could become an attack.

The Mall of America was not attacked, and authorities say the suspect was arrested before the alleged plan could be carried out.