An Afghan man pleaded guilty to two terrorism-related offenses on Friday for plotting to carry out an Election Day attack.
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, told investigators he and co-conspirator Abdullah Haji Zada planned to die as martyrs while targeting large groups of people on Nov. 5.
“By pledging allegiance to ISIS and plotting an attack against innocent Americans on Election Day, this defendant endangered lives and gravely betrayed the nation that gave him refuge,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
“Today’s guilty plea guarantees he will be held accountable, stripped of his immigration status, and permanently removed from the United States, and shows the Justice Department has zero tolerance for those who exploit our freedoms to spread violence.”
The FBI first thwarted the plot, which they said was motivated by ISIS, in October of last year.
The Justice Department said Tawhedi purchased two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition, and 10 magazines with the intent to carry out a mass-casualty attack.
“Thanks to outstanding work by the Oklahoma City Joint Terrorism Task Force, the defendant’s plan to kill innocent Americans in a terrorist attack on Election Day was stopped,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office.
Tawhedi is facing a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison for the two charges while Zada faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
At the completion of any sentence, Tawhedi and Zada will be permanently removed from the U.S.and barred from reentry under stipulated judicial orders of removal to Afghanistan, according to the Justice Department.
