FBI Foils Alleged ISIS-Inspired Plot to Bomb N.Y. State Capitol
What to Know
- Federal authorities charged a 35-year-old Albany woman in connection with plotting an ISIS-inspired bomb attack targeting the New York State Capitol and lawmakers meeting inside the building.
- Investigators say Jessica Bowie conducted surveillance of the Capitol, pledged allegiance to ISIS, discussed acquiring bombs and weapons, and was arrested after purchasing materials she believed would be used in the attack.
- The alleged plot was disrupted through an FBI sting operation, and officials said there is no evidence Bowie had direct ties to the Islamic State terrorist organization.
An Albany woman was charged Thursday with planning to carry out an Islamic State-inspired terror bomb attack on the New York State Capitol.
Jessica Bowie, 35, told confidential federal informants that she wanted to buy bombs and weapons to carry out a terror attack and kill as many lawmakers as possible in support of ISIS.
“I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting,” Bowie said in one text message that was included in a federal criminal complaint.
Bowie said she wanted to do something to “harm the enemies of God,” the complaint said, before planning to flee to the Middle East.
The complaint says Bowie visited the state Capitola t least five times between July 21 and Aug. 9, where surveillance teams observed her photographing the area.
Bowie, who lives just two miles from the Capitol, was arrested on Wednesday after buying the suspected weapons to be used in the attack. She was expected to be arraigned later Thursday on federal charges of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
She also praised the Sept. 11 terror attacks and carried out a formal oath of allegiance to ISIS, officials said.
Gov. Hochul praised police for busting Bowie and heading off the plot.
“I’m grateful to the F.B.I. for leading this investigation and to the New York State Police for their work to apprehend this dangerous individual,” she said.
The feds say they first identified Bowie, who converted to Islam five years ago, as a potential terror plotter from her posts on social media.
They organized a sting operation after Bowie told the informant she was ready to take action. They gave her $200 to buy nails for the bomb at local Home Depot and a gun. It’s not clear if Bowie had the know how to actually carry out an attack.
There was no immediate evidence that Bowie had any authentic ties to Islamic State, which once controlled vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
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