This Threat Will Leave You Shaking – ISIS Has Their Eyes on the U.S. and It’s Coming Fast!

As the U.S. gears up for its upcoming election, concerns about a resurgence of terror attacks have reignited. Following the arrest of Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, a 27-year-old Afghan man in Oklahoma City, new fears about potential Islamic State (IS) plots have emerged. Tawhedi admitted to planning a deadly election day attack, intending to open fire on crowds and die as an IS martyr, according to court documents. His arrest highlights a growing trend of IS-linked plots targeting Western nations, including the United States.

In recent weeks, there has been an uptick in online activity among IS supporters and operatives. Many discussions on encrypted messaging platforms like Rocket.Chat focus on planning attacks in the West, spurred by IS-Khorasan (IS-K), the group’s Afghan branch. This branch has grown in prominence since the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan and is behind several deadly attacks in Russia and Iran. Now, IS-K appears to be setting its sights on American soil.

The threat isn’t just speculation. Tawhedi’s arrest is part of a broader wave of IS-related activities. Just days after his capture, a Maryland man was charged with attempting to purchase a Kalashnikov rifle for IS, and U.S. officials confirmed that an IS-K operative had directed Tawhedi’s plot. These incidents are part of a larger pattern of IS supporters in the West being drawn into terror plots, either through direct recruitment or through inspiration from online propaganda.

A recent propaganda poster released by IS-K made their intentions clear. The image showed a militant holding a grenade in front of the U.S. Capitol, with the caption, “You are next.” This bold message underscores the organization’s intent to target the U.S. and demonstrates how IS-K is trying to reassert itself on the global stage.

Experts like Lucas Webber, a senior threat intelligence analyst at Tech Against Terrorism, are raising alarms about the growing danger. “This is additionally concerning given the branch’s mass casualty attacks on Russia and Iran, leaving the United States as the remaining adversary on this shortlist for a successful external operation,” Webber explained.

Despite these warnings, many in the public continue to perceive IS as a defeated force. However, as Webber points out, the organization’s affiliates remain active in regions like Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan, and Somalia. The group’s ability to inspire or direct attacks abroad shows that it still poses a significant threat, particularly in the West.

IS-K’s recruitment strategies have also evolved, targeting young men in Western countries who might find it difficult to travel overseas to join the group. Through encrypted communications and online platforms, IS-K encourages these recruits to either carry out attacks at home or, if possible, migrate to areas under IS control. Tawhedi, for example, came to the U.S. after the fall of Kabul and was reportedly influenced by IS-K’s messaging.

In a broader context, IS’s resurgence comes at a time when global security agencies are already stretched thin. Ken McCallum, head of the UK’s domestic intelligence service MI5, highlighted the challenge, stating that managing the threat posed by IS is “one hell of a job.” Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the need to “combat the ongoing threat that [IS] and its supporters pose to America’s national security.”

The rise of online propaganda and the ability for IS sympathizers to easily communicate on encrypted platforms has added another layer of complexity. Discussions about using simple tools like kitchen knives or homemade bombs are becoming more frequent in IS-linked chatrooms. In one conversation obtained by Riccardo Valle, director of research at Khorasan Diary, a user encouraged an attack on Jewish individuals using a kitchen knife, illustrating the casual and dangerous nature of these exchanges.

In the lead-up to the election, the possibility of IS-inspired attacks in the U.S. remains a real and present danger. As law enforcement agencies ramp up their efforts to prevent further plots, the public must stay informed and vigilant, recognizing that while IS may have lost territory, its ideological threat continues to thrive in the shadows.