OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Afghan man has been ordered to remain in custody following allegations that he conspired to carry out an attack on Election Day in the United States. The decision came after revelations about his background as a security guard for an American military installation in Afghanistan.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Suzanne Mitchell issued the ruling during a court hearing in Oklahoma City, where testimony was provided by an FBI special agent. The agent detailed that 27-year-old Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, along with his juvenile brother-in-law, had taken steps to acquire AK-47 rifles and ammunition, intending to target large crowds on Election Day next month.
Judge Mitchell determined that there was probable cause to proceed with charges against Tawhedi, binding him over for trial.
FBI agent Derek Wiley also testified that Tawhedi is linked to an ongoing investigation in France, which recently resulted in the arrests of three individuals, including two of Tawhedi’s brothers. Authorities allege that these individuals were plotting a terrorist attack in France. One of the arrested, a 22-year-old Afghan with residency papers in France, was being investigated for a suspected plan to target a soccer stadium or shopping center.
