Man eyed Minnesota’s Mall of America for attack, pledging allegiance to ISIS, federal prosecutors say

A man accused of telling an FBI informant he wanted to attack the Mall of America during the Hmong Arts Celebration on Oct. 24 was arrested at gunpoint Tuesday during an arranged meeting to buy an AK-47-style rifle for $600, according to a federal criminal complaint filed Wednesday in St. Paul.

In the complaint, authorities say a “confidential human source” exchanged “hundreds of bi-directional messages through multiple social media and encrypted messaging applications” with Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud from December 2024 until Tuesday. In those exchanges, Mohamud allegedly “expressed his desire to travel to Somalia” to join al-Shabaab and “fight on its behalf and/or commit a mass casualty attack” in Minnesota.

The complaint says the FBI contacted Mohamud’s parents in May 2025. His father allegedly said “he did not want to share any information pertaining to himself or his son” with agents and directed them to his attorney.

In July, Mohamud told an informant he didn’t have enough money to go to Somalia, according to the complaint. He allegedly said he would attack in the United States instead, and that if he did, he wasn’t doing it “for any worldly matter” but “for the sake of Allah only.”

Mohamud allegedly went on to say in a direct message to the source that he considered carrying out an attack at the Mall of America in Bloomington or Valleyfair amusement park in Shakopee around Christmas. An FBI affidavit says he wrote that he might buy two pistols online first.

The complaint says Mohamud said he wanted to attack the Mall of America “because it’s owned by Jewish.” He said he was inspired in part by last year’s deadly antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.

How to watch: 

• What: DOJ, FBI to discuss “significant counterterrorism law enforcement action.”
• Who: Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen, FBI Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson.
• When: 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
• How to watch: In the attached video, the video player below and streamed in full on YouTube.

Last month, Mohamud told the source he wanted to carry out an attack at the mall during the Hmong Arts Celebration on Oct. 24, saying “it will be a lot of people,” according to court documents.

In another message last month, the affidavit says, he wrote that he had been watching video of the 2016 attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and thought he could do the same. “I just walk in and shoot,” he wrote.

The complaint also notes Mohamud posted a video on Discord last month in which he allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS.

On Tuesday, Mohamud was arrested at gunpoint during an arranged meeting with the source to purchase an AK-47-style assault rifle for $600. The affidavit says he had left an undercover employee’s vehicle with the rifle, four magazines and 200 rounds of ammunition when he was arrested. The filing describes the weapon as a Norinco AK-47 assault rifle, model Mac-90 Sporter, and the ammunition as about 200 live rounds of 7.62×39-caliber.

Authorities allege Mohamud “knowingly received a firearm and ammunition” knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, they would be used to commit a felony and a federal crime of terrorism, including providing or conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson are scheduled to hold a news conference at noon Wednesday on “a significant counterterrorism law enforcement action.” It’s not clear whether it concerns Mohamud’s case.

This story will be updated.