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See the full story · 8 sourcesThe suspect, a 35-year-old woman, allegedly purchased bomb materials and spent weeks surveilling the Capitol building
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Federal authorities arrested a woman accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on the New York State Capitol in Albany .
Jessica Bowie, a 35-year-old Albany resident, allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, purchased bomb-making material earlier this month and planned to pose as a food delivery worker while executing the attack, according to an FBI criminal complaint filed Thursday.
Bowie was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York John Sarcone said at a Thursday press conference. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Today marks, I would say, a milestone here in this district,” Sarcone said. “It’s been some time since anything like this has happened.” He went on to describe the allegations as “disturbing.”
“While there is no immediate threat at this time, we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect New Yorkers and keep our communities safe,” Governor Kathy Hochul , a Democrat, said in a statement on Thursday.
Bowie, an Albany resident, allegedly converted to Islam about five years ago and adopted the name “Aisha Saif,” according to the FBI’s criminal complaint. The complaint alleges that Bowie maintained multiple social media profiles and used them to express “anti-American” views.
In messages sent between May and July, Bowie allegedly pledged allegiance to the leader of ISIS. From July through August, she purportedly told an FBI source that she wanted to bomb the Capitol.
“I would like to [target] state capitol,” she allegedly wrote on July 16. “But ideally in a way I could get away with and hop on a plane after. But idk if it’s doable.”
Over the following weeks, Bowie allegedly surveilled the Capitol “on approximately five separate occasions.” And, on August 5, she purportedly purchased bomb-making materials from a hardware store in Rensselaer, including a large bin of nails, which she wrote could “work as shrapnel,” according to the complaint.
“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,” she allegedly wrote to an FBI source on July 29. “I want it to have a affect on the American system and destroy some of the taghut.” Taghut means something that is worshipped or obeyed other than Allah.
Bowie also allegedly said she planned to pose as a food delivery worker and conceal the bomb in a bag resembling a food order before placing it near one of the building’s main entrances. A photo of a DoorDash bag allegedly acquired by Bowie was included in the criminal complaint.
In a social media post on Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote that Bowie’s alleged plans were in the “advanced stages.”
If the attack succeeded, Bowie allegedly wrote in messages that she would seek to carry out additional attacks, including on “New Years Eve in Times Square” and through “all kinds of good stuff that could be done in the future.”
Bowie was arrested Wednesday after she exited the FBI source’s car. Authorities reportedly found her carrying knives at the time of her arrest.
During an interview at the FBI’s Albany Field Office, Bowie is said to have told investigators, “There’s no helping me. You guys know enough. I’m going to prison for the rest of my life.”
“I’m grateful to the FBI for leading this investigation and to the New York State Police for their work to apprehend this dangerous individual,” Hochul said in a Thursday statement, adding that her administration had recently worked to beef up Capitol security.
“This is just the latest example of this FBI stopping an alleged terrorist in their tracks - in 2026 we’ve already disrupted 400+ such attacks at home and around the world,” Patel wrote in a social media post. “For any individual who may be considering harming Americans in the future: know that we will find you.”
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