FBI arrests Minnesota teen over planned mass shooting at Mall of America

Court documents have revealed that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested an 18-year-old man in Minnesota on charges of planning a mass shooting at the Mall of America in the name of Daesh (ISIS).

Sheikhdon Abdullahi Mohamed was taken into custody on Tuesday after an undercover FBI agent sold him a rifle, ammunition, and magazines for $600, according to the court filings.

The documents state that Mohamed told the agent he intended to use the weapons to carry out an attack inside the mall, aiming to kill between 30 and 60 people during an event scheduled for late October.

He faces a single charge of knowingly possessing a firearm and ammunition with the intent to commit a terrorist act. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the documents, Mohamed had previously told an FBI source via various social media platforms that he wanted to travel abroad to fight alongside Al-Shabaab, which is designated by the US as a foreign terrorist organization. He said that if he could not travel, he would seek to carry out a mass shooting in the United States.

Later, Mohamed expressed a desire to join Daesh, and in July said he wanted to kill between 30 and 60 people at the Mall of America, claiming the mall’s owners were Jewish and declaring his intent to target non-Muslims.

The documents indicate Mohamed told the undercover agent he planned to carry out the attack on October 24, coinciding with the "Hmong Arts Festival" at the mall.

The Mall of America, located near Minneapolis, is the largest shopping center in the United States, featuring more than 500 stores, an amusement park, and a large aquarium.

Mohamed made his first court appearance before US Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright on Wednesday.