U.S. authorities say they have thwarted an ISIS‑inspired terrorist attack planned for New Year’s Eve in the town of Mint Hill, North Carolina, arresting an 18‑year‑old suspect just hours before the alleged assault was due to take place.
The Department of Justice said Christian Sturdivant has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation. He has not yet entered a plea.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Russ Ferguson, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said the suspect had pledged allegiance to ISIS and planned to attack a grocery store and a fast‑food restaurant in his hometown.
“He was preparing for jihad, and innocent people were going to die,” Ferguson told reporters.
According to investigators, the plot had been in preparation for about a year. In December, Sturdivant allegedly made contact online with two undercover officers from the FBI and the New York Police Department, whom he believed to be ISIS affiliates. During those exchanges, he is said to have shared images of knives and hammers and outlined plans for an imminent attack.
An FBI search of the suspect’s home uncovered weapons hidden in his bedroom, along with handwritten notes and a manifesto titled “New Year’s Attack 2026”. The document allegedly detailed plans to stab up to 20 people and to attack police officers responding to the scene.
FBI officials said Sturdivant was arrested on New Year’s Eve, the day the attack was allegedly scheduled. His initial court appearance took place on Friday after the case was unsealed.
Law enforcement sources also revealed that the suspect first came to the attention of authorities in 2022, when, as a juvenile, he was in contact with an unidentified ISIS member overseas and explored carrying out an attack with a hammer. He was not charged at the time and instead received psychological treatment.
U.S. officials praised the coordination between federal and local law enforcement agencies, saying the operation had prevented a potentially deadly attack and saved lives.
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