Afghan teenager charged in Oklahoma plot for Election Day attack sentenced to 15 years

OKLAHOMA CITY AP An Afghan teenager who pleaded guilty to taking part in an Oklahoma plot to carry out an Ballot Day attack has been sentenced to years in prison federal prosecutors disclosed Wednesday Abdullah Haji Zada a citizen of Afghanistan and lawful permanent resident who was living in Moore Oklahoma was sentenced for knowingly receiving and conspiring to receive a firearm and ammunition to be used in a terrorist attack court records show Zada previously agreed to be removed from the United States after he is issued from prison court records show Zada s attorney Jeff Byers declined to comment Wednesday on the sentence Zada s co-defendant Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi who previously worked as a precaution guard for an American military installation in Afghanistan pleaded guilty to conspiring and attempting to provide material encouragement to the Islamic State group He faces up to years in prison Prosecutors allege Zada and Tawhedi took approaches to obtain AK- rifles and ammunition and planned to carry out an attack targeting large crowds on Voting Day last year 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 FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater announced in a declaration An FBI agent who testified at a hearing last year reported Tawhedi had used the online messaging application Telegram to communicate with an account associated with the Islamic State militant organization that was directing his actions and that Tawhedi had sworn allegiance to the group and would do whatever they stated him to Source