‘Tremendous work’: FBI reveals it disrupted plans for an alleged ISIS attack where 20 people were to be killed
The FBI has revealed it disrupted an alleged ISIS terror attack that was to target an American grocery store in North Carolina and the goal was to kill 20 or 21 victims.
“The FBI and our partners continued working 24/7 over the holidays protecting the American people, and this case out of Charlotte foiling another alleged New Years Eve attacker is the latest example of their tremendous work,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Our teams quickly identified the threat and acted decisively — no doubt saving American lives in the process. Thanks to our Joint Terrorism Task Force and regional partners both in New York and Western North Carolina for their efforts.”
Prosecutors confirmed Christian Sturdivant, 18, of Mint Hill, near Charlotte, was arrested and accused of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
That word was from Russ Ferguson, the U.S. attorney for the Western District in the state.
Confiscated from Sturdivant’s bedroom were a “blue hammer, a wooden-handled hammer, and two butcher knives.”
#BREAKING The #FBI and our law enforcement partners thwarted a potential terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve in North Carolina. The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS. The @USAO_WDNC and FBI Special Agent in Charge will announce details at an 11:30 am news conference in… pic.twitter.com/APsaKTdeuF
— FBI Charlotte (@FBICharlotte) January 2, 2026
WATCH LIVE: FBI holds news conference on thwarted potential New Year’s Eve terror attack https://t.co/u08CYU7IRW
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 2, 2026
FBI says it foiled 18-year-old’s ISIS-inspired New Year’s Eve ‘terror attack’ in North Carolina https://t.co/nKFkG0gZXg pic.twitter.com/IembSHGcP0
— New York Post (@nypost) January 2, 2026
The plot was uncovered when Sturdivant allegedly began communicating online with a person he thought was “affiliated with ISIS but in reality was a government online covert employee.”
According to prosecutors, Sturdivant said, online, “I will do jihad soon.”
“In subsequent online communications with the OC, Sturdivant indicated that he planned to attack a specific grocery store in North Carolina and discussed plans to purchase a firearm to use along with the knives during the attack,” prosecutors confirmed.
Also found during a search where Sturdivant lived were documents including “New Years Attack 2026” and listed supplies to be acquired.
“It also listed a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible and [the] total number of victims as 20 to 21. The note also included a section listed as ‘martyrdom Op,’ with a plan to attack police that arrived at the site of the attack so the defendant would die a martyr,” prosecutors said.
The suspect remains in custody.
Prosecutors revealed, “In one social post in early December 2025, Sturdivant posted an image depicting two miniature figurines of Jesus with the on-screen text that included ‘May Allah curse the cross worshipers.’ The post is allegedly consistent with ISIS historic practice calling for the extermination of all non-believers, including Christians and other Muslims who do not agree with the terrorist organization’s extreme ideology.”