Politics
US says it thwarted potential Daesh-inspired New Year’s Eve attack in North Carolina
- Suspect, charged with providing material support to Daesh, yet to enter plea.
- Investigators say he spent nearly one year planning attack knife attack.
- DoJ says FBI agents seized hammers and knives from suspect.
The US Justice Department said on Friday it thwarted an alleged plan by a North Carolina man to carry out a Daesh-inspired attack using knives and hammers on New Year’s Eve.
Christian Sturdivant, 18, of Mint Hill, North Carolina, was charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organisation, according to a criminal complaint.
Sturdivant has not yet entered a plea on the charges. He was arrested on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, and made his first court appearance on Friday.
Sturdivant had pledged allegiance to Daesh and planned to attack a grocery store and fast food restaurant in his hometown, Russ Ferguson, the US Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, told reporters during a press conference.
“He was preparing for an attack and innocent people were going to die,” Ferguson said.
FBI agents searching Sturdivant’s home found a handwritten document titled “New Years Attack 2026,” which allegedly discussed plans to stab up to 20 victims and attack responding police officers.
Agents seized hammers and knives from his bedroom, according to a Justice Department statement, which cited information in a criminal complaint.
Sturdivant had planned the attack for about a year and communicated online in December with two undercover agents with the FBI and New York Police Department, whom he thought were affiliated with Daesh. He shared photos of two hammers and a knife and discussed plans for a coming attack, according to the complaint.
Sturdivant came on the FBI’s radar initially in 2022 when, as a juvenile, he was in contact with an unidentified Daesh member overseas and took steps to attack with a hammer. He was not charged in that incident and instead underwent psychological treatment, according to law enforcement officials.
DUBAI: The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, observed iftar at Dubai Mall alongside senior members of the leadership, including the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The iftar took place within the mall premises with members of the UAE leadership present, underscoring a message of unity, stability and resilience.
The gathering came amid regional tensions, with officials repeatedly stating that the country remains safe and secure.
Video circulating on social media showed the leaders moving through the venue, where shoppers gathered and waved as they passed.
Many visitors appeared surprised to see the UAE leadership at the location.
In one widely shared moment, a visitor from Ghana expressed excitement after meeting the President, describing the encounter as memorable. The President exchanged brief words with him and wished him an enjoyable stay.
The public presence drew attention inside the busy shopping destination, often described as one of the world’s largest malls.
The Iranian armed forces have started a new wave of extensive drone and missile attacks on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories and US assets in regional countries.
A late Monday statement from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the 11th wave of offensive attacks under Operation True Promise 4 had been launched by the naval and aerospace units of the elite force.
The statement said the “extensive and high-density operation” had targeted American intelligence centers and military support warehouses in the Persian Gulf region, the Israeli communications industries complex in the occupied city of Beersheba, as well as 20 locations in the occupied regions of Tel Aviv, West al-Quds, and Galilee.
It said the “brave sons of Iran’s armed forces” had used more than 700 drones and hundreds of missiles to hit 60 strategic targets and 500 military locations linked to the United States and the Israeli regime since the start of the US-Israeli aggression on Iran on Saturday.
The statement said the number of missiles and drones and the success rate of the attacks had far outpaced records seen during the 12-day war with Israel and the US in June 2025.
The IRGC said recent “brutal and terrorist” attacks on Iran that targeted citizens in hospitals, schools, and offices of the national media service (IRIB) had further strengthened their resolve and determination to pursue an all-out war against the enemies.
The IRGC has been carrying out retaliatory attacks on US military assets across the region and on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories since Saturday, when the US and Israel started the unprovoked war of aggression against Iran and assassinated Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the fate of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is uncertain following “purposeful and surprise” attacks on his office and the residence of the regime’s air force commander.
In a statement on Monday, the IRGC said Iranian Armed Forces heavily attacked the office of Israel’s criminal prime minister and the residence of commander of the Israeli air force.
They were hit during “purposeful and surprise” attacks by Kheybar missiles, the elite force stated.
According to the statement, the 10th phase of Iran’s successful missile attacks on occupied territories focuses on the Israeli regime’s premises.
The IRGC said it would later announce the achievements of the attacks and provide further information.
The United States and Israel launched a joint war of aggression against Iran early on Saturday, assassinating Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders before attacking military and civilian sites across the country.
Iranian armed forces have responded with massive missile and drone strikes, hitting strategic targets deep inside the Israeli-occupied territories as well as American military bases scattered across the region.
Iranian authorities say the retaliatory attacks will continue as long as necessary and that it will be the Islamic Republic that will decide when and how the war will end.
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