The FBI’s arrest of an Afghan man in Oklahoma planning a shooting on Election Day has thrust the Islamic State (IS) back into the spotlight ahead of the November vote.
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, admitted he and a co-conspirator intended to die as martyrs during the attack, according to court documents. The incident comes amid rising warnings of IS-inspired plots targeting the West.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the ongoing threat posed by IS, while MI5’s chief Ken McCallum described his agency’s efforts to manage the resurgent terror group as “one hell of a job.”
Despite official warnings, many still believe IS has been defeated or disappeared. However, discussions among IS supporters, particularly on encrypted platforms, have been intensifying, with IS-Khorasan (IS-K), the Afghan-based branch, leading the charge. IS-K was behind the deadly March attack in Moscow and another in Iran, and was allegedly directing Tawhedi’s plot.
A propaganda poster released by IS-K in September featured a militant holding a grenade before the US Capitol, captioned “you are next,” signaling American targets as a priority. Recent plots linked to IS include a Maryland man’s attempt to buy an assault rifle for an attack, arrests of suspects in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and a Canada-based plot against a New York Jewish center.
The group has been exploiting Afghanistan’s instability since the Taliban takeover in 2021 and ramping up recruitment following the October 7 attacks and subsequent Israeli military operations. IS-K is actively recruiting young men in the West who are unable to travel overseas, using platforms like Rocket.Chat to encourage domestic attacks.
The debate within IS channels continues over whether to conduct attacks at home or join forces in active war zones. Conversations often involve strategies for attacks using simple tools like knives, bombs, and drones, with some users lamenting missed opportunities to support thwarted plots.
IS branches remain active in various regions, including Syria, Somalia, and Pakistan, challenging the perception that the group has been entirely defeated.