Bangladesh, Jan. 3 -- US federal authorities say they have disrupted a potentially deadly terrorist attack planned for the New Year holiday period by an 18-year-old man in North Carolina, underscoring both the continued threat of online radicalization and the role of early law enforcement intervention in preventing mass-casualty violence.

According to statements released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the suspect, identified as Christian Sturdivant, allegedly planned to carry out coordinated attacks at a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant using a combination of weapons. Investigators say the plan was inspired by the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), a jihadist group that, despi...