FBI Says It Foiled Massive ISIS Terrorist Attack in New York

The FBI on Thursday said it foiled a planned radical Islamic terrorist attack in New York.

The Bureau explained that the plot involved a woman who allegedly planned to bomb the New York State Capitol building and carry out future attacks, according the NBC News:

A woman has been charged with providing support to a terror group after allegedly plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on the New York State Capitol building in Albany, federal officials said Thursday.

Jessica Bowie, 35, allegedly told a confidential source that she supported ISIS and asked for help learning to make explosives, according to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.

Bowie is expected in court Thursday afternoon on a single charge of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terror organization.

…

According to the complaint, Bowie converted to Islam five years ago and created several social media accounts using an honorific Islamic name. She appeared to have created multiple accounts because they were “frequently suspended by providers for violating their terms of use,” the complaint said.

Several accounts allegedly tracing back to Bowie posted messages expressing support for terrorism between May and July. The complaint alleges that Bowie communicated between July 16 through August 17 with a confidential source who was working with the FBI and posing as an ISIS facilitator

She told the source that she wanted help to carry out an attack on the New York Capitol, according to the complaint. The building was less than two miles away from her home, and she said she wanted to do something to “harm the enemies of god,” the complaint said.

MOMENTS AGO: The FBI has THWARTED an ISIS-inspired terrorist plot to bomb the New York State Capitol in Albany and massacre lawmakers.

35-year-old Jessica Bowie of Albany—who converted to Islam five years ago—pledged allegiance to the terror group, conducted weeks of… pic.twitter.com/uaeuY2ntT1

— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) August 20, 2026

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg explained that 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,” according to a DOJ press release.

Through the course of the investigation and as alleged in the government’s complaint, investigators learned that Bowie had intended to conduct the attack before fleeing to Syria to join others in ISIS-controlled territories. She was observed making several visits to the New York State Capitol grounds and taking several photographs of the building. In describing the New York State Capitol building as her target, Bowie stated: “I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting. I want them to lose a lot of important documents as well” and “I want it to have a affect on the American system. And destroy some of the taghut.” 

According to the complaint, Jessica Bowie has expressed anti-American messages online. On one account identified as belonging to Bowie, she said, “Praise be to Allah for September 11th” and “When I can migrate, I will poison these infidels.” Further, Bowie recorded and disseminated to others online her “Bayah,” or formal oath of allegiance to ISIS.

BREAKING: The FBI has just arrested a woman aligned with ISIS who plotted to explode a BOMB at the New York State Capitol, and kill lawmakers

"The FBI has disrupted a potential ISIS-inspired terror plot in New York. A 35YO Albany woman is accused of plotting to BOMB the state… pic.twitter.com/rIGvvcRJ3M

— SANTINO (@TheRealSantino) August 20, 2026

The complaint says Bowie visited the Capitol building five times between mid-July and early August. Other confidential sources participated in a recorded meeting with the suspect. One of the FBI’s confidential sources paid her $200 to purchase bomb-making materials. After making the purchase, she gave the ingredients to the sources.

“Miss Bowie didn't just want to kill lawmakers. She wanted a complete disruption of our government.”

Craig Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albany Field Office, details the alleged ISIS-linked plot by Jessica Bowie to attack the New York State Capitol building.… pic.twitter.com/EDy4PX8Mpp

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 20, 2026

She told investigators, “Ideally it would be the White House with the president, but like, that’s an even harder job.”

She said she hoped Allah would forgive her if she inadvertently killed Muslim Americans at the site.

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