Woman charged over ISIS-inspired plot to bomb New York State Capitol
Jessica Bowie, who allegedly converted to Islam and planned to flee to Syria after attack, expressed support online for 9/11 and purchased bomb parts, says indictment
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US authorities charged a woman who allegedly supported the Islamic State jihadist group with a terrorism offense on Thursday after she told an FBI informant she “wanted to destroy” the New York State Capitol buildings, court filings showed.
Located in Albany in upstate New York, the State Capitol is the nerve center of the state government in its capital city, and contains both houses of the state’s legislature.
Jessica Bowie, 35, was charged with attempting to provide material support to designated “foreign terrorist organizations” according to court filings.
The woman had allegedly converted to Islam and become a vocal online supporter of ISIS, posting anti-American messages online including for the September 11, 2001, attackers.
She is alleged to have told an FBI informant of her support for the proscribed group and sought guidance on how to manufacture explosives, the criminal complaint shows.
Bowie told the informant that she would “make it a point to have picnics by the capital to observe” and learn about security measures, the complaint alleges.
According to the indictment, she added to the informant on an encrypted messaging app that she had “picked up some anarchist literature at the social justice center” which “could have some good tips.”
“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.
The accused woman allegedly mused about posing as a food delivery driver, using the disguise as a cover to access the facility to plant a bomb, before fleeing to Syria.
She allegedly suggested she could return to the United States to attack further high-profile targets, including New York’s Times Square if her escape was successful.
After allegedly acquiring a DoorDash bag and components for a bomb, including nails to be used as shrapnel, Bowie was arrested on August 19 by FBI agents.
“There’s no helping me, you guys know enough,” she is alleged to have told agents.
Bowie was due to appear in court on Thursday. Her attorney did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.
The Times of Israel Community.