From Fox News:
Christian Sturdivant, 18, of Mint Hill — a town outside Charlotte — was arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson said.
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 Dec. 14, Sturdivant allegedly sent the OC an image of two hammers and a knife.
“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.
“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.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office further explained, “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.”
“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.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement: “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.”
FBI thwarts potential New Year’s Eve attack inspired by ISIS in North Carolina https://t.co/rgPv416axF
— WTVY News 4 (@WTVYNews4) January 2, 2026
FBI thwarts potential New Year’s Eve attack inspired by ISIS in North Carolinahttps://t.co/gMTXNgc1oo
— FOX 12 Oregon (@fox12oregon) January 2, 2026
Read more at Fox News
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