Minnesota teen charged with ISIS-inspired plot against Mall of America
Eighteen-year-old Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud was arrested for planning an ISIS-style attack on the Mall of America, citing its Jewish ownership as motive.
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, an 18-year-old resident of Minnesota, was taken into custody after an undercover FBI agent sold him a Norinco AK-47-style rifle, four 30-round magazines and roughly 200 live rounds for $600. In communications with the agent, Mohamud said he targeted the Mall of America because it is owned by a Jewish family and planned to carry out the attack on Oct. 24, hoping to kill between 30 and 60 people.
The affidavit details his extremist rhetoric, including references to “kuffar” and admiration for previous anti-Jewish attacks. He also explored other violent ideas, such as shooting white people, attacking a nightclub, and driving a truck into a crowd in Ohio, and he watched footage of the Pulse nightclub shooting. Authorities say he intended to recruit another individual and had pledged allegiance to ISIS, while also considering travel to Somalia to join al-Shabaab. He now faces a federal charge for acquiring a firearm and ammunition for use in a terrorist crime.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 63m later
- Right-leaning coverage is the most divided on this story
- Coverage peaked at 9 outlets in a single hour
Why it matters
The arrest prevents a potential mass-casualty terrorist attack and highlights ongoing domestic extremist threats.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTAll camps report the FBI arrest of an 18-year-old planning an ISIS-inspired attack on the Mall of America, but right-leaning coverage adds emphasis on anti-Jewish motives and targeting non-Muslims, which left-leaning and centrist reports do not mention.
LEFT
Left-leaning coverage frames the story as a thwarted ISIS-inspired terrorist plot, highlighting the teen’s pledge to ISIS, his extremist video, and references to prior attacks.
CENTER
Center coverage frames the story as a straightforward law-enforcement action against a planned mass-casualty attack, focusing on the FBI sting, weapon acquisition, and the planned timing during the Hmong Arts Celebration.
RIGHT
Right-leaning coverage frames the story as an ISIS-linked plot with a specific anti-Jewish and anti-non-Muslim motive, stressing the target’s Jewish ownership and the teen’s intent to kill 30-60 non-Muslims.
The left emphasises
- pledged allegiance to ISIS
- posted a video pledging allegiance to ISIS
- references to the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting
The right emphasises
- targeted the Mall of America because it is owned by a Jewish family
- intended to kill 30-60 non-Muslims
- anti-Jewish rhetoric and references to “kuffar”
In this story
