Afghan national pleads guilty to federal charge after online suicide attack threat

FORT WORTH, Texas - United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that an Afghan citizen residing in Fort Worth pleaded guilty Oct. 6 to transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce after threatening to conduct a suicide attack.

Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, a 32-year-old Afghan national, was charged by federal complaint on Nov. 30, 2025, with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce related to threats he made during a social media livestream, which was recorded and posted to multiple social media accounts.

"Threats of suicide bombing are not jokes or momentary outbursts, they are federal crimes," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. "The United States has zero-tolerance for any threat to engage in a suicide attack or mass casualty event. We will respond swiftly and decisively to ensure that anyone who engages in this type of behavior faces serious federal consequences."

"The FBI takes online threats of violence seriously and will work with our law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable for threatening the safety of others. I want to thank the members of the public who came forward to report the defendant's video. Their timely action contributed to our ability to quickly identify the defendant and secure this guilty plea. We continue to urge the public to report threatening communications to law enforcement," said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

According to court documents, on Nov. 23, 2025, Alokozay participated in an online video chat group with several individuals, including Victim 1, who is also from Afghanistan. Alokozay and the others exchanged highly offensive insults based on longstanding tribal animosity. Alokozay threatened to conduct a "suicide attack" against Victim 1 and the others using a "suicide bomb." Portions of the exchange were recorded and uploaded to the social media platform TikTok.

Federal agents and local partners quickly identified and located Alokozay and executed a search warrant at his residence and on his mobile phone to confirm he had no bomb-making materials and concluded that the defendant did not intend to carry out an attack. Alokozay admitted in court documents that he knowingly transmitted a threat to injure another person through interstate and foreign commerce.

Alokozay pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton on Oct 6. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. A sentencing date will be set by the Court.

The FBI Dallas, Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Fort Worth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent Mazzurco from the National Security-Cybercrime section is prosecuting the case.

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