ISIS-linked female suspect arrested in plot to blow up New York State Capitol

A female suspected of having ties to the Islamic State (ISIS) made her initial appearance in federal court on Thursday after being arrested for plotting to blow up the New York State Capitol building in Albany, the US Justice Department (DOJ) announced in a statement on Thursday afternoon. A criminal complaint filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of New York identified the suspect as 35-year-old Jessica Bowie, who allegedly asked an FBI source for help in making explosives. Bowie was arrested on Wednesday, on charges of attempting to provide material support to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), ISIS. She was arrested "as she gained possession of what she believed to be an explosive device," the DOJ added. The complaint claimed that Bowie converted to Islam five years ago, with several social media accounts traced back to her having posted content that supported terrorism. It adds that Bowie recorded and disseminated her oath of allegiance to ISIS online. In addition, Bowie communicated with an FBI agent who was posing as an ISIS facilitator, according to the complaint, telling the agent about her plans to blow up the New York State Capitol building. "I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting," the DOJ accused her of saying, noting that she claimed to want to "harm the enemies of God." The complaint said that Bowie had expressed anti-American messages online, saying "Praise be to Allah for September 11th," and "When I can migrate, I will poison these infidels." The complaint also noted that Bowie preferred to bomb the White House with US President Donald Trump inside, but decided against it because it was "an even harder job." Bowie hoped to get away with attack, flee to Syria. Bowie sought to escape to Syria following the attack to join others in ISIS-controlled territories. She told the FBI agents that she wanted "to have an effect on the American system. And destroy some of the taghut." Taghut is an Islamic term meaning anything worshipped or obeyed instead of Allah. She received $200 from the FBI agents, which she spent at a Home Depot on August 5 on materials involved in bomb-making. She allegedly later gave the items to agents at an in-person meeting. She further allegedly inquired of an agent how to obtain a firearm so she could "shoot back" if the police came after her. Bowie allegedly told the agents that she would feel remorse if Muslims, children, or pregnant women were killed in the attack, noting that she hoped "Allah" would forgive her. Bowie is a US citizen, living in the Albany area. It is still unclear how long the attack has been planned for, nor whether the suspect has a lawyer, the report noted. The case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the US Secret Service, New York State Police, and Albany Police Department. "Last night the FBI arrested an individual - Jessica Bowie - who allegedly swore allegiance to ISIS and planned to carry out a deadly attack with explosives on the New York State Capitol," FBI director Kash Patel said in a statement on X/Twitter on Thursday. "The alleged plans were in advanced stages to where the subject had conducted surveillance at the state Capitol at least 5 times and purchased materials to make an explosive device," he added. "As alleged, Bowie plotted to deploy an explosive device at the New York State Capitol, intending to kill public officials and to destroy 'as much of the building as possible' before fleeing to ISIS-controlled territory in Syria," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said in a statement on the DOJ website. Operations Director Matt Fodor of the FBI National Security Branch added that "According to the criminal complaint, the defendant in this case swore allegiance to ISIS and wanted to follow up with additional horrific acts of terrorism."