LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- An 18-year-old Minnesota man was charged Wednesday with a firearm offense in connection with an alleged plot to attack the Mall of America, the largest shopping center in the United States, according to court documents.
An FBI affidavit filed Wednesday alleges that Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud planned a shooting at the mall in support of the Islamic State. The mall is located in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Mohamud appeared Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minnesota Public Radio reported. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Oct. 19, according to Fox 9.
On Tuesday, Mohamud allegedly paid 600 U.S. dollars to an undercover FBI employee for an AK-47 rifle, four magazines and about 200 rounds of ammunition. Agents arrested him shortly after he left the employee's vehicle carrying the items, according to the affidavit.
The rifle had been rendered inert for safety before the transaction, while the ammunition was live, according to the filing.
The affidavit alleges that Mohamud knew or had reasonable cause to believe that the firearm and ammunition would be used to commit a felony and a federal crime of terrorism.
The FBI began investigating Mohamud in December 2024, according to the affidavit. He exchanged hundreds of messages with a confidential source through social media and encrypted messaging applications, the affidavit said.
In July, Mohamud allegedly discussed carrying out a shooting at the mall and said he might kill 30 to 60 people. In September, he identified Oct. 24 as the date of the planned attack and sent the source a link to a Hmong Arts Celebration at the mall, according to the affidavit.
In a statement reported by Minnesota Public Radio, the mall said it maintained multiple layers of security and would continue working with law enforcement. ■