FBI and US law enforcement thwarted a feared terror attack “directly inspired by Isis” using knives and hammers that was planned to strike on New Year’s Eve.
Officials from the Department of Justice and the agent in charge of the North Carolina operation announced that Christan Sturdivant, 18, of Mint Hill, North Carolina, was charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organisation.
The suspect has not yet entered a plea on the charges.
FBI agents searching the 18-year-old's home uncovered a handwritten document titled “New Years Attack 2026,” which allegedly discussed plans to stab up to 20 victims and attack responding police officers, according to the statement.
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Items, including a vest, mask, tactical gloves, and two knives, were also found to aid what was believed to be a planned attack on civilians inside a grocery store.
The plot was foiled after he began communicating online with an undercover government agent, referred to as “OC”, whom he believed was “affiliated with Isis”.
“During his online communications with the OC, Sturdivant said, 'I will do jihad soon,' and declared that he was 'a soldier of the state,' meaning Isis,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
“It also listed a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible and the total number of victims as 20 to 21. The note also included a section listed as 'martyrdom Op,' with a plan to attack police that arrived at the site of the attack so the defendant would die a martyr,” the Attorney’s Office continued.
Christan Sturdivant has been charged with plotting the attack
|GATON COUNTY JAIL
“In addition, law enforcement seized from Sturdivant’s bedroom a blue hammer, a wooden handled hammer, and two butcher knives hidden underneath the defendant’s bed,” they added.
The FBI's field office in Charlotte was tipped off on December 18 that Mr Sturdivant was posting support for Isis on social media.
“In one social post in early December 2025, Sturdivant posted an image depicting two miniature figurines of Jesus with the on-screen text that included 'May Allah curse the cross worshipers,'” according to the US Attorney's Office.
“The post is allegedly consistent with Isis historic practice calling for the extermination of all non-believers, including Christians and other Muslims who do not agree with the terrorist organisation’s extreme ideology,” they added.
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Kash Patel confirmed the FBI's swift action 'no doubt saved American lives'
| REUTERSFBI Director Kash Patel said: “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."
“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," he told Fox News.
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