ABC5 Eyewitness News reports that a 20-year old man has pleaded guilty to stabbing two men in the name of Islamic extremism at the Mall of America last November.
Mahad Abdiaziz Adbiraham stabbed two brothers on November 12 , 2017 at the mall’s Macy’s. On Thursday, his attorney read a statement declaring his allegiance to the Islamic State and pleading guilty for the crime. In the statement, Abdiraham said he carried out his attack to answer the"call for jihad by the Chief of Believer, Abu-bakr Al-baghdadi, may Allah protect him, and by the Mujahiden of the Islamic State."
"I understand that the two men I stabbed know and have explained the reason for my attack, and I am here reaffirming that it was indeed an act of Jihad in the way of Allah,” he continued. Abdiraham also claimed that Americans will not be safe as long as "your country is at war with Islam."
Perhaps most chillingly about this case is what one Somali watchdog group had to say.
From the article: Omar Jamal, an activist with a Somali watchdog group, said he is aware of the statement.
"This is a widespread sentiment with Somali youth," he said.
Jamal said the federal government's effort to make it difficult for would-be jihadists to travel abroad and join a terrorist group has had unintended consequences locally.
"What is very concerning in this instance, is the fact that youth are exploring more 'How can I do something here, what weapons are accessible,'" he said.
Townhall reported several eyewitness accounts at the time of these stabbings . One lady said, “We saw two cops running toward Macy’s. By the time we got to the main area — the men’s department is to the right — more police started running in with their guns drawn. My daughter could see people lying on the ground who had been stabbed.”
Despite the suspect’s statement, the case has not yet been deemed an act of terror.