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.

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A Jewish businessman was killed Tuesday by unknown assailants in the Alexandria governorate in northern Egypt, Saudi Arabia's Al-Arabiya network reported. According to the publication, his name is Ziv Kipper, and he owned a fruit and vegetable export company with a branch located in the city's commercial district.

It was further noted that Egyptian authorities are currently investigating the circumstances and details of the incident. The Egyptian Interior Ministry posted on its X account that the motive was criminal, referring to Kipper, who held Israeli and Canadian citizenship, as a Canadian citizen. It also stated that an investigative team has been formed to uncover the circumstances. Al-Arabiya wrote that he had worked in Egypt for nine years and owned a large company in the Alexandria governorate.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem says they are aware of the report and currently verifying its credibility. According to local media reports, the assailants are unknown.

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The IDF had previously confirmed the deaths of three other soldiers in the same attack:

First Sergeant Ruben Marc Mordechai Assouline, 19, from Ra'anana
First Sergeant Ido Testa, 19, from Jerusalem
First Sergeant Tal Shavit, 21, from Kfar Giladi

The devastating attack resulted in the deaths of these four soldiers and left at least eleven others wounded, some with serious injuries. The fallen were members of the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade and the 931st Battalion of the Nahal Brigade.

Hamas terrorists claimed responsibility, stating their Al-Qassam Brigades intentionally targeted the Kerem Shalom area using 114 mm short-range "Rajoum" rockets launched from the Rafah area in the Gaza Strip.

The IDF reported approximately ten rockets and mortars were fired from the vicinity of Rafah toward Kerem Shalom. As a precaution, the Kerem Shalom humanitarian crossing has been temporarily closed following the barrage. In retaliation for the assault, the IDF conducted retaliatory strikes on Hamas rocket launchers in Rafah.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli sparked controversy on Wednesday by stating that he would vote for Donald Trump if he had the opportunity in the upcoming US presidential election.

Speaking to Kan Radio, Chikli, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, expressed concerns about the perceived lack of strength in US leadership under President Joe Biden.

Citing what he views as Biden's initial reluctance to confront Hezbollah and Iran during recent conflicts, Chikli asserted, "The US is not projecting strength under his leadership, and it's harming Israel and other countries."

He added, "If I were an American citizen with the right to vote, I'd vote for Trump and Republicans."

Chikli's remarks come shortly after the US Senate approved billions in military aid to Israel.

Despite acknowledging Biden as a friend of Israel, Chikli criticized the president, stating, "He's under intense pressure that is affecting him and creating real damage to relations between the countries."

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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The US Senate on Tuesday voted to advance a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, which would send it to the White House for President Joe Biden to ratify into law.

The Senate voted by an overwhelming 80 to 19 in favor of advancing the package of four bills passed by the House, far more than the 60 needed to pave the way for a vote on final passage.

One of the bills provided $61 billion for Ukraine, a second $26 billion for Israel, and a third $8.12 billion "to counter communist China." A fourth includes a potential ban on the social media app TikTok, measures for the transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine, and new sanctions on Iran.

I thank the U.S. Senate for passing the Israel aid package tonight with an overwhelming bipartisan majority.

As we mark 200 days to the barbaric October 7th terror attack by Hamas, Israel and the United States stand together in the fight against terrorism, defending democracy…

— ישראל כ"ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) April 24, 2024

Biden has vowed to sign it into law as soon as it passes the Senate.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz lauded the approval, saying "Israel and the United States stand together in the fight against terrorism, defending democracy and our shared values."

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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Last week's Hezbollah drone and missile attack on the northern border community of Arab al-Aramshe has claimed the life of a reservist officer, the military has confirmed.

The officer, identified as Maj. (res.) Dor Zimel, 27, served as a deputy company commander in the Etzioni Brigade and hailed from Even Yehuda. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries sustained during the attack.

The incident, which occurred on April 17, resulted in the critical injury of Maj. Zimel and wounded another 13 soldiers and four civilians. Hezbollah launched two anti-tank missiles and an explosive-laden drone from Lebanon, targeting a community center in Arab al-Aramshe where soldiers had gathered.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin remains among 133 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, has been honored as one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2024.

The recognition comes as a testament to her unwavering advocacy and efforts to raise global awareness about the ongoing hostage crisis.

Goldberg-Polin's journey into the spotlight began when her son Hersh, along with over 200 others, was taken hostage by the terror group. Since then, she, alongside her husband Jon Polin and countless other families affected by the crisis, has tirelessly campaigned for the release of all captives.

The inclusion of Goldberg-Polin in the prestigious TIME100 list acknowledges the significant impact she has had in galvanizing support for the hostages' cause. Her advocacy has resonated not only with millions of people worldwide but also within the halls of power where decisions are made.

Expressing her gratitude for being included in the TIME100 list, she emphasized the urgent need for continued global attention and action to secure the release of the hostages, saying, "I want to thank TIME for my inclusion on the TIME100 and for recognizing the significance and gravity of the hostage crisis."

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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The IDF announced Monday morning that four soldiers were wounded by an explosion near the northern border, the night prior, one of whom is in serious condition.

According to the statement, the soldiers were wounded during operational activity in the north of Israel due to an explosion from an "unknown origin" and the incident was being investigated.

The IDF described the soldiers' conditions as one seriously wounded, two moderately, and the fourth slightly wounded.

Israeli media reported that the soldiers were from the Golani Brigade, Yahalom special forces, and Combat Engineer Corps.

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Furthermore, reports indicated that the army had yet to rule out the incident was an accident or friendly fire.

On Sunday, Iran and its regional proxies launched an unprecedented attack against Israel, including continued launches from Lebanon by the Iranian-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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Israel has foiled a terror cell that planned to carry out attacks in Israel, particularly targeting National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as well as other sensitive targets, according to an announcement on Thursday morning.

According to the Shin Bet security agency, a joint operation with the IDF and Israel Police exposed the terrorist cell consisting of Arab Israelis and Palestinians from the West Bank.

Following an investigation, 11 suspects were arrested.

Bilal Nasasara, a resident of the southern Bedouin city of Rahat, was identified as heading the terror cell operating and recruiting others from within Israel. Akram Amer, a resident of Tulkarm, was identified as responsible for recruiting operatives in the West Bank.

Their targets included the Ben-Gurion International Airport, government buildings in Jerusalem, IDF bases and other secure facilities.

The plan to assassinate Ben-Gvir was described as an attack against the Kiryat Arba community in the West Bank area of Hebron, intending to use an RPG to kill him.

Furthermore, the cell tried to make contact with Hamas to sponsor, finance and direct the terror activities. According to the statement, one of the West Bank operatives made contact and was offered funding for attacks in Israel.

"This is a serious activity in the framework of which Israeli citizens together with the residents of the West Bank concocted a large-scale plan to carry out a serious terrorist activity in the territories of the State of Israel," the statement concluded.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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