FBI foils ISIS-linked New Year’s Eve attack plot in North Carolina
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – U.S. authorities announced on Friday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) thwarted an alleged plot inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) to carry out attacks against civilians in North Carolina on New Year’s Eve.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, Christian Sturdivant, 18, from the town of Mint Hill near Charlotte, was arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
Prosecutors said the suspect planned to attack a grocery store and a fast food restaurant in his hometown.
The FBI said the plot was disrupted after Sturdivant began communicating online with an individual he believed to be affiliated with ISIS, but who was in fact an undercover government employee.
During these communications, Sturdivant allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS, declaring he would “do jihad soon,” and sent images of weapons, including knives and hammers.
Prosecutors said Sturdivant discussed plans to purchase a firearm and use knives during the attack. A search of his residence on Dec. 29, 2025 uncovered handwritten notes titled “New Years Attack 2026,” listing tactical equipment and outlining plans to stab as many civilians as possible, with a targeted number of victims ranging from 20 to 21.
Authorities also said the notes included a plan to attack responding police officers in an attempt to die as a “martyr.”
U.S. officials said the suspect had expressed hostility toward Jews, Christians, and LGBTQ individuals. He was reportedly employed at a Burger King in Mint Hill at the time of his arrest.
FBI officials noted that Sturdivant had previously come to their attention as a juvenile in 2022 due to online contact with an ISIS member abroad, but no charges were filed at that time.
Sturdivant remains in federal custody and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. US authorities said the case highlights the ongoing threat posed by online radicalization and lone-actor terrorism.