A Pakistani man residing in Canada, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested by Canadian authorities on charges of plotting a terrorist attack targeting Jewish people in New York City. The United States filed charges, which resulted to the arrest on Wednesday. The arrest was verified by the US Department of Justice, which also gave information on the case.
Khan, 20, was charged with trying to give the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) financial assistance and other resources. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland claims that Khan plotted a mass shooting in New York City with the intention of murdering Jews on the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. Garland commended the FBI and Canadian law enforcement for their efforts in capturing Khan before to the planned assault.
Khan had intended to carry out the assault in Brooklyn, New York, with a Jewish center as his explicit target, the FBI's investigation discovered. The strike was planned to take place in 2023, the year of the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI, stressed the importance of the timing, pointing out that Khan's proposal was announced about a year after Hamas's fatal attack.
According to the criminal complaint, Khan had been in contact with undercover police because he thought they were fellow conspirators. Khan revealed his plan to go to New York for the assault and stated that he supported ISIS throughout these exchanges. Khan was arrested in the town of Ormstown, which is just 19 kilometers away from the border between the United States and Canada.
According to authorities, Khan first became involved with ISIS in November 2023 when he started sharing information about the terrorist group on social media and used encrypted messaging apps to talk to others about it. In addition, he disseminated material and films featuring ISIS ideology. His eventual communication with undercover law enforcement agents acting as other ISIS sympathizers was a result of his acts.
If Khan is found guilty, the U.S. government is requesting his extradition from Canada. Khan may spend up to 20 years in jail. He is accused of giving material assistance to an organization that has been classified as a foreign terrorist organization. Khan's arrest underscores the persistent threat presented by those motivated by extremist ideas and represents a significant advancement in counterterrorism measures.