Washington: The US Justice Department on Friday said it has foiled an alleged ISIS-inspired plot by an 18-year-old man from North Carolina who was planning a violent attack on New Year’s Eve using knives and hammers, Reuters reported. 

Christian Sturdivant, 18, was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terror organisation after officials say he communicated his attack plans to an undercover FBI employee who was posing as an encouraging confidant.

He was arrested by federal agents on Wednesday. He remained held following a Friday morning court appearance. Another hearing is set for Jan. 7. The lawyer representing Sturdivant in federal court on Friday didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

According to investigators, FBI agents recovered a handwritten note titled “New Years Attack 2026” during a search of Sturdivant’s residence. The document allegedly outlined plans to stab as many as 20 people and launch attacks on police officers responding to the scene.

The authorities said the intervention prevented potential mass casualties, and the suspect is now in federal custody as the investigation continues.

An FBI affidavit filed in the case said Sturdivant came under investigation last month following information that a social media account, which officials connected to Sturdivant, had made posts supportive of IS. Those included posts that depicted a ballistic vest and appeared to promote violence, the affidavit said, and the display name for the account referenced the name of the late IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Sturdivant began communicating on social media with someone who he thought was supportive of his plans but who was actually an undercover FBI employee, the affidavit said.