Teen accused in Mall of America terror plot ordered to remain detained during case

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A federal judge ordered an 18-year-old Richfield man accused of plotting a mass shooting at the Mall of America in support of ISIS to remain in custody as his case moves forward.

Judge orders teen to remain in custody

What we know:

Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, the 18-year-old Richfield man accused of plotting a mass casualty terrorist attack at the Mall of America, will remain in federal custody as his case proceeds, a judge ruled Monday.

During a detention and preliminary hearing at the U.S. District courthouse in Minneapolis, Magistrate Judge Dulce Foster found probable cause that an offense occurred and ordered Mohamud detained. 

The ruling followed testimony from an FBI special agent detailing the nearly two-year investigation that culminated in an Oct. 6 sting operation.

'This was not just talk, this was action'

Dig deeper:

Mohamud appeared in court wearing a yellow jail uniform, seated between his two federal public defenders. Supporters and family members filled a row in the courtroom gallery behind him.

Federal prosecutors laid out a timeline of Mohamud’s alleged radicalization, detailing how he used multiple social media accounts to communicate with an FBI confidential human source (CHS).

FBI Special Agent Keegan Rupenthal testified that Mohamud initially sought to travel overseas to join ISIS in Somalia but shifted his focus to a domestic attack when he could not afford the travel costs.

According to Rupenthal's testimony, Mohamud expressed a desire to kill 30 to 60 "nonbelievers" and targeted the Mall of America because of an upcoming Hmong Arts Celebration.

The agent also testified that Mohamud wanted to attack the mall because he believed it was owned by Jewish people, citing the 2024 Bondi Beach attack in Australia and other mass casualty events as inspiration.

The defense team challenged the government's narrative during cross-examination, emphasizing that Mohamud was only 16 years old when the paid adult informant began communicating with him.

Mohamud’s lawyer noted that the FBI supplied the inert AK-47 assault rifle and coordinated the purchase location. The defense also argued that Mohamud had no prior criminal history and no experience with firearms.

In arguing for his release, the defense proposed 24/7 home confinement with GPS monitoring and restrictions on internet access. However, prosecutor Benjamin Bejar argued that Mohamud posed a significant flight risk and a danger to the community, noting that he took substantial steps toward committing a mass attack. Bejar also pointed out that Mohamud had expressed a desire to die as a martyr during the attack.

"This was not just talk, this was action," argued Bejar, who told the court that Mohamud came as close to committing a terrorist attack as he could.

Judge Foster ultimately sided with federal prosecutors, concluding that the weight of the evidence was strong and that the risk to the community and to Mohamud himself could not be mitigated by release conditions.

Facing lengthy prison sentence

What's next:

The case will now proceed toward a formal indictment. Mohamud faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the federal terrorism charge.

The Source: This story uses FOX 9 reporting from inside court.