Oklahoma Election Day Terror Plotter Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison
The sentence follows a plea that requires his removal to Afghanistan after incarceration.
Overview
- U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk imposed the statutory maximum of 180 months for receiving firearms and ammunition to be used in a federal crime of terrorism.
- Court records say Abdullah Haji Zada and a co-conspirator secured two AK-47-style rifles and 500 rounds to carry out an ISIS-backed attack on Election Day 2024 before the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force disrupted the plot.
- Zada, a 19-year-old Afghan national who was a lawful permanent resident, pleaded guilty as an adult on April 17, 2025, though he was 17 at the time of his October 2024 arrest.
- Under his plea agreement, Zada waived most appeal rights and agreed to a stipulated judicial order of removal that will terminate his U.S. resident status.
- Co-defendant Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi pleaded guilty on June 13 to material-support and firearms charges, faces up to 35 years in prison, and awaits a sentencing date and subsequent removal.