Pakistani immigrant arrested in US over alleged campus attack plot
Police in the US state of Delaware have arrested a Pakistani immigrant and former University of Delaware student after uncovering a large cache of weapons, ammunition and body armor along with a handwritten diary that investigators say outlined a disturbing plan for “martyrdom” through a mass shooting on a university campus. The case has triggered widespread concern across US law-enforcement circles and has drawn fresh attention internationally, featuring prominently in World News and US News updates.
The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Luqmaan Khan, was taken into custody shortly before midnight on November 24 when officers found him sitting inside his pickup truck in a park under suspicious circumstances. Police said the initial encounter quickly escalated after a search of his vehicle uncovered an alarming volume of weaponry.
According to Delaware authorities, the recovered items included a .357 Glock pistol, multiple loaded magazines and body armor plates. The pistol was fitted into a kit allowing it to be converted into a semi-automatic rifle, a modification that investigators noted significantly increased the potential lethality of the planned attack.
During the investigation that followed, officers discovered a handwritten diary allegedly describing elaborate plans to target the University of Delaware’s campus police department. The diary reportedly contained a hand-drawn map of the police headquarters with clearly marked entry and exit points, along with phrases such as “kill all” and repeated references to “martyrdom,” which prosecutors say indicate both intention and ideological motivation.
Officials stated that Khan appeared “fully prepared” to carry out the attack, citing the weapon modifications, ammunition stockpile and detailed surveillance notes found in the notebook. They added that the combination of equipment and written plans reflected a “serious and potentially catastrophic plot” that could have resulted in mass casualties.
Federal and state prosecutors have now launched an extensive investigation, underscoring that a major tragedy was likely averted due to the timely intervention of law-enforcement officers. The case has also raised new questions within Pakistani communities abroad, prompting local commentary in Pakistan News regarding the broader implications of such incidents on immigrant populations in the United States.
Authorities say charges are expected to be severe, and investigators are continuing to examine the suspect’s digital footprint, communications, and possible links to extremist influences as the case develops.
