Pakistani national charged in plot to attack Brooklyn Jewish center on anniversary of Hamas attacks
770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, the international headquarters of Chabad-Lubavitch. Public domain photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
A 20-year-old Pakistani citizen was arrested in Quebec earlier this week for allegedly plotting a mass shooting at the headquarters of a powerful Jewish sect in Brooklyn in support of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, federal prosecutors announced on Friday.
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, also known as Shazeb Jadoon, had planned the attack to take place on or near the first anniversary of Hamas’ attacks in Israel, according to the Department of Justice.
Khan, who had been living in Canada, attempted to enter the United States via the U.S.-Canada border in early September. The complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, explains how Khan had been in contact with undercover law enforcement officers posing as ISIS supporters.
Khan allegedly communicated with them about acquiring weapons and coordinating an assault on Jewish institutions, including a specific center in Brooklyn, which he had targeted due to the city’s large Jewish population.
“New york is perfect to target jews [sic],” Khan allegedly wrote to his associate, expressing his intention to carry out what he believed would be “the largest attack on U.S. soil since 9/11.”
Khan’s plan, prosecutors said, involved using AR-15-style rifles and possibly hunting knives to carry out the massacre. He aimed to strike on Oct. 7, 2024, the anniversary of a series of violent attacks on Israel by Hamas, and just days before Yom Kippur, a major Jewish holiday.
The plot was thwarted when Khan was arrested in Ormstown, Canada, approximately 12 miles from the New York border. He had switched vehicles several times in an apparent effort to avoid detection, authorities said.
Threats Against Jewish Communities on the Rise
Khan’s arrest comes amid a rise in threats against Jewish communities across the United States, including bomb threats to synagogues in Brooklyn earlier this year.
“The defendant is alleged to have planned a terrorist attack in New York City around October 7 of this year with the stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“Jewish communities — like all communities in this country — should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack,” Garland added.
According to federal investigators, Khan had been under surveillance since November 2023, when he began posting ISIS propaganda and literature online. His communications, which were monitored by the FBI’s New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles field offices, revealed a plan to recruit members for an ISIS cell, acquire weapons, and launch coordinated attacks on Jewish targets in New York.
Khan reportedly changed his target from an unnamed U.S. city to New York after recognizing its larger Jewish population. He identified specific locations, including institutions affiliated with the Chabad Hasidic movement, and instructed his associates to gather weapons for the attack. The complaint noted that Khan considered using a human trafficker to cross the border undetected.
Khan is charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. The complaint against Khan also mentioned an unnamed associate, though it remains unclear whether this individual has been apprehended or is cooperating with law enforcement as an informant.
Leave a Comment
Related Articles
Latest decisions from the Appellate Division, Second Department
Columbian lawyers host attorney Sean McGowan for cannabis law CLE
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to stay in jail while appeals court takes up bail fight
Leave a Comment