- 18-year-old Afghan national pleads guilty to firearms conspiracy for terror attack
- Plot targeted crowded Oklahoma venues during 2023 midterm elections
- Co-defendant with military base security experience faces separate ISIS charges
- Perpetrators sought AK-47s to execute mass casualty event
Federal prosecutors revealed disturbing details Thursday about a foiled Election Day attack plot involving two Afghan nationals residing in Moore, Oklahoma. Abdullah Haji Zada, now 18, admitted to conspiring to obtain assault rifles and ammunition for a terrorist act targeting large crowds during last year's midterm elections. Court documents show investigators uncovered encrypted communications planning attacks on polling stations and political rallies.
Zada's plea agreement includes mandatory deportation following his prison term, which could extend to 15 years under federal sentencing guidelines. This case marks the seventh terrorism-related conviction in Oklahoma since 2016, reflecting a 40% increase in domestic extremism cases involving foreign nationals compared to the previous decade.
Legal analysts note the unusual combination of defendants: a teenage immigrant and Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, who allegedly used his experience as a military installation guard in Afghanistan to strategize attacks. Prosecutors claim the pair studied crowd patterns at Tinker Air Force Base commissaries and Oklahoma City's Bricktown entertainment district to maximize casualties.
Regional counterterrorism efforts intensified after the 2020 OKC bombing anniversary plot, with FBI data showing Oklahoma ranks 12th nationally in foiled domestic terrorism attempts. A 2022 Department of Homeland Security report identified the I-35 corridor as an emerging hotspot for extremist recruitment, with three similar cases currently pending in Texas and Kansas courts.
Court filings reveal undercover agents intercepted Zada's attempts to purchase modified AK-47 rifles through dark web marketplaces. Digital forensics showed encrypted messages referencing ISIS propaganda videos and detailed attack timelines. Defense attorney Jeff Byers has yet to comment on whether Zada's age influenced the plea deal negotiations.