A converted radical Muslim who allegedly plotted an ISIS-linked bombing at the New York State Capitol also discussed future terror attacks — including one on the White House and New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square.
New Yorker Jessica Bowie, 35, was arrested in Albany Wednesday after the FBI foiled her lethal scheme to blow up the Capitol building “on a day when the most amount of senators are there.” The plan included placing a bomb in a DoorDash food delivery bag, according to federal authorities.
The ISIS-inspired militant, who converted to Islam five years ago and was going by the Islamic name “Aisha Saif, planned the attack with the help of FBI informants for roughly two weeks.
She even had an escape route to Syria ready — and pondered returning to the US to carry out more large-scale terror attacks, according to her federal complaint.
On Aug. 5, while meeting with two informants in person, Bowie said if the attack on the state Capitol was successful — and she was able to get away — she could “come back in the future and do more.”
One target Bowie talked about was “New Year’s Eve in Times Square” — a frenzied spectacle where as many as 1 million tourists visit the Big Apple.
Although she zeroed in on the state Capitol because it was “the biggest political building that I know of around that area,” the Albany resident told the informant she would’ve preferred the “White House with the President” — but admitted “that’s an even harder job,” according to the complaint.
“Maybe in the future we go back for that,” she allegedly said.
That same day, she allegedly purchased bomb materials from a Home Depot in Rensselaer, while wearing a burqa, photos show.
Law enforcement had Bowie on their radar for five weeks leading up to her arrest Wednesday and believe she was “radicalized online,” First Assistant US Attorney John A. Sarcone III said at a press conference Thursday evening.
The upstate New Yorker had already plotted to carry out the most deadly bombing she could at the state Capitol — telling an informant she thought she could take out at least half of the 200 people in the Albany building.
Before FBI agents swept in to cuff her, Bowie paid an informant $200 to help a bombmaker fund the construction of explosives for future attacks, telling the person she “wishes she could fund a big operation,” according to the complaint.
Following her arrest, she appeared to offer a partial confession during her interview with the FBI, according to the complaint.
“There’s no helping me, you guys know enough, there’s no helping me, I’m…going to prison for the rest of my life,” she allegedly said.
“Material support is up to 20 years in prison, I already Googled it before, I know I’m going to jail.”
Just last month, another radicalized upstate New Yorker, 37-year-old Catherine Beth Washburn, was charged with allegedly supporting an Islamic terrorist organization after donating $30,000 in cryptocurrency to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group in Gaza.
Gov. Kathy Hochul thanked the FBI and law enforcement for thwarting Bowie’s possible attack in a statement Thursday.
“Earlier this year, amid a rise in political violence and threats against public officials, we took steps to strengthen security at the State Capitol and across state government,” the gov said.
“While there is no immediate threat at this time, we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect New Yorkers and keep our communities safe.”
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