A Pakistani citizen has been arrested in New York, USA, on charges of planning an attack in support of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) targeting Jews.
According to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, 20-year-old Muhammad Shahzaib Khan (also known as Shahzaib Jadoon), who resides in Canada, was arrested near the Canada-U.S. border on September 4.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated that the accused allegedly planned a terrorist attack around October 7 this year in New York City, intending to kill as many Jewish people as possible in the name of the so-called Islamic State.
The U.S. Attorney General expressed gratitude to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Canadian law enforcement agencies for the arrest of the suspect.
“Like other communities, the Jewish community should not have to fear being targeted in a hateful terrorist attack. The U.S. Department of Justice, in collaboration with our national and international partners, will continue to aggressively work to prevent the so-called Islamic State, other terrorist organizations, and their supporters from carrying out such attacks,” he added.
FBI Director Christopher Wray commented on the arrest of the Pakistani citizen, stating, “The suspect allegedly intended to kill Jewish individuals in the U.S., nearly a year after the horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel.”
According to the Department of Justice, Shahzaib attempted to travel from Canada to New York City, where he intended to carry out an attack on a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York, using automatic and semi-automatic weapons in support of the so-called Islamic State.
The statement further revealed that in November 2023, Shahzaib began sending messages, sharing ISIS propaganda videos, and other materials on social media and encrypted messaging apps. During this time, he also exchanged messages with two undercover U.S. agents.
According to the Department of Justice, during conversations with U.S. law enforcement agents, Shahzaib confirmed that he was planning an attack in an American city in collaboration with a supporter of the so-called Islamic State residing in the U.S.
The Department of Justice’s statement also mentioned that Shahzaib informed the undercover agents that he was attempting to establish an “offline cell” of the so-called Islamic State in an American city to carry out coordinated attacks on Jewish synagogues.
“In further conversations, Shahzaib repeatedly instructed the undercover agents to identify targets for the attacks and to acquire AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other supplies,” the statement added.
During these conversations, Shahzaib also explained how he would cross the Canadian border into the U.S. to carry out the attacks. The statement mentioned that Shahzaib stated, “October 7 and October 11 are the best days to target Jews.”
According to the Department of Justice, around August 20, Shahzaib abandoned plans to target a location in another American city and instead expressed his intent to carry out an attack in New York. The statement quoted Shahzaib as saying, “New York is perfect for targeting Jews” because it has “the largest Jewish population in the U.S.”
The Department of Justice further revealed that Shahzaib told the undercover agents, “We are going to New York City to slaughter them (the Jews).” The statement also mentioned that Shahzaib instructed the undercover agents to “acquire good hunting knives so that their (the Jews’) throats could be slit.”
According to the Department of Justice, around September 4, Shahzaib attempted to reach the Canada-U.S. border, using three different vehicles for the purpose. However, he was arrested 12 miles from the border. If Shahzaib is found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.
Last month, another Pakistani, Asif Merchant, was arrested in the U.S. on charges of planning to assassinate a politician or government official on American soil.