A Pakistani citizen living in Canada has been arrested for allegedly planning a mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York City in support of ISIS, authorities announced Friday.
The United States Department of Justice said Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. A criminal complaint was filed in the Southern District of New York.
Khan was apprehended Wednesday about 12 miles from the US-Canada border after allegedly using three separate cars to travel across Canada toward the US, officials said.
According to the complaint, Khan began expressing support for ISIS online around November 2023 and communicated with undercover law enforcement officers about his plans to carry out mass shootings at Jewish centers in the US. Federal officials allege Khan distributed ISIS propaganda videos and pictures.
"Through our investigation, we discovered Khan used encrypted messaging apps in planning a mass shooting attack at a Jewish site in New York City," said Rob Kissane, the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force special agent in charge.
The complaint alleges Khan began planning a specific attack at a Jewish center in Brooklyn that he hoped to carry out on or around Oct 7, 2024 – marking one year to Hamas' horrific attack on Israel, and also a few days before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
Khan allegedly told undercover officers that "New York is perfect to target Jews" because of the large Jewish population, and "if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack [sic] on US soil since 9/11."
The Justice Department said Khan discussed plans to pay a human smuggler to help him illegally enter the US from Canada.
"Due to great work by the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force and the New York Field Office, Khan's alleged plot was disrupted," Kissane said.
Federal investigators said at no point was Khan an immediate threat.
"Terrorism has no place in our society. This case underscores the commitment of our Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York City to continue to aggressively work to prevent deadly plots before they can be carried out. Our partners are on the front lines every day, united to protect our nation from those who threaten our safety and our way of life. We plan to keep up the good work," Kissane added.
Khan will appear in court in Canada on Sept 13, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. If convicted, Khan faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the Justice Department said.
