A North Carolina man was arrested for allegedly planning ISIS-inspired gun attacks in the US

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An ISIS militant carrying the regime's flag in a propaganda video.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A North Carolina man has been charged with attempting to provide material support to Islamic State and weapons offenses, the Department of Justice said on Monday.

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Justin Nolan Sullivan, 19, of Morganton, North Carolina, is alleged to have plotted assassinations and violent attacks in the United States, the department said.

"As alleged in the complaint, the defendant was planning assassinations and violent attacks in the United States and is charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIL and federal firearms violations," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin said according to a Department of Justice press release.

Sullivan first came to the attention of the FBI after an undercover agent made contact with him on or around June 6, 2015. From the date of contact until his arrest on June 19, Sullivan discussed with the agent various methods of obtaining an AR-15 rifle and ammo.

Sullivan also told the agent that he planned on conducting "minor assassinations before the big attack for training." After the attacks, Sullivan said he was planning on sending a video cataloging his attacks to ISIS.

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He was arrested Friday, prosecutors said.

(Reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by Bill Trott)

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