FBI foils IS-inspired New Year's Eve attack in North Carolina, teen arrested

An 18-year-old man from North Carolina has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State (IS) after US authorities said they foiled a planned mass-casualty attack on New Year's Eve, the Justice Department announced.

The accused, identified as Christian Sturdivant of Mint Hill, was allegedly in the final stages of planning a knife-and-hammer attack targeting a grocery store and a fast-food outlet in support of the terror group Islamic State, also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham. A criminal complaint filed on December 31, 2025, was unsealed after Sturdivant's first appearance in a federal court in Charlotte.

Officials said the arrest prevented an imminent attack. "This successful collaboration between federal and local law enforcement saved American lives from a horrific terrorist attack on New Year's Eve," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, warning that those plotting such violence would face the full force of the law.

According to authorities, Sturdivant had pledged allegiance to IS and aspired to die as a martyr while carrying out a mass-casualty assault. US Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson said the teenager was "preparing for jihad" and that innocent people were likely to have been killed had the plot not been disrupted.

Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alleged that Sturdivant communicated online in December with undercover agents posing as IS supporters. During these exchanges, he allegedly shared images of weapons and discussed specific targets. FBI Director Kash Patel said the case highlighted the importance of rapid intelligence sharing, adding that those who support terrorist organisations cannot evade law enforcement.

Court documents stated that Sturdivant sent a loyalty oath to ISIS on December 19 and had been planning the attack for nearly a year. A search of his home on December 29 led to the recovery of handwritten notes titled "New Years Attack 2026", which outlined his plan to stab up to 20 people and then attack responding police officers. Officials also seized knives, hammers, tactical gloves and a vest from his bedroom.

Assistant Attorney General John A Eisenberg said the notes demonstrated an intent to inflict maximum harm and spread terror, praising law enforcement agencies for neutralising the threat before it could be carried out.

Authorities said Sturdivant first came to the FBI's attention in 2022, when he was a juvenile and had communicated with an overseas IS contact. He was not charged at the time and instead received psychological treatment.

Sturdivant is currently in federal custody and has not entered a plea. If convicted, he will face up to 20 years in prison. The investigation was conducted by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force with assistance from local police agencies and the New York Police Department.