My Threatcon Column: Afghan National Sentenced To 15 Years in Prison For Plotting Election Day Terror

Counterterrorism magazine’s website posted my latest Threatcon column.

You can read the column below: 

Threatcon Column

Afghan National Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

for Plotting Election Day Terror

By Paul Davis

A reader emailed me a while back and criticized me for “creating alarm about Islamic terrorism when in fact domestic terrorism by white, right-wing criminals was the true threat to America.”

I replied that yes, domestic terrorism by home-grown criminals is certainly a concern, and I’ve addressed that concern here and elsewhere. But I also stated that radical Islamic terrorism remains a serious threat to our country.

A case in point is Abdullah Haji Zada, 19, who on November 20^th was sentenced to serve the statutory maximum of 15 years in federal prison for knowingly receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive a firearm and ammunition to be used to commit a federal crime of terrorism.

According to court documents, Zada, a native and citizen of Afghanistan and U.S. lawful permanent resident, and a co-conspirator received two AK-47-style rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition, knowing that the firearms and ammunition would be used in connection with a terrorist attack on Election Day in November 2024, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Zada was arrested with his co-conspirator, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 28, also a citizen of Afghanistan, in October 2024.

"Zada was welcomed into the United States and provided with all the opportunities available to residents of our Nation, yet he chose to embrace terrorism and plot an ISIS-inspired attack on Election Day,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, announced the sentence.

 “Today’s sentence, and Zada’s eventual removal from the United States, reflect the seriousness of his betrayal and our commitment to using every tool at our disposal to detect and disrupt such plots.”

Donald Holstead, the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, added, “With today’s sentencing, Zada will pay the price for participating in a plot last year to conduct an ISIS-inspired Election Day terrorist attack,

 “Detecting and preventing acts of terrorism against the American people is an essential part of the FBI’s mission. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities.”

Doug Goodwater, the FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge, also weighed in, “By hatching a violent plot against the United States on behalf of ISIS, the defendant and his co-conspirator shamefully turned their backs on the country that provided them safety and refuge,

“I’m extremely proud of the swift and coordinated action taken by the Oklahoma City Joint Terrorism Task Force as soon as this disturbing plan was uncovered. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will never relent in our fight against terrorism, and in protecting the American people from those who wish them harm.”

According to the Justice Department, Zada, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, entered his guilty plea as an adult on April 17, 2025. As part of the plea agreement, Zada stipulated to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States to Afghanistan following his term of incarceration. Zada acknowledged that the order of removal would terminate his lawful permanent resident status. Zada also waived his right to appeal the conviction except in limited circumstances or seek any form of appeal or relief from his removal and deportation, including but not limited to, seeking asylum.

The Justice Department noted that Zada’s co-conspirator, Tawhedi, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025, to two terrorism-related offenses: conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS, a designated terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a federal crime of terrorism. At sentencing, Tawhedi faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison for the material support charge and up to 15 years in prison for the firearms charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Upon completion of any sentence, Zada and Tawhedi will be permanently removed from the United States and barred from reentry under stipulated judicial orders of removal to Afghanistan.

Foreign radical Islamic terrorists and domestic terrorists are both bad guys, and we need to be security-conscious about both groups.   

Paul Davis’ Threatcon column covers crime, espionage and terrorism.