A Pakistani citizen accused of plotting “with the stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible,” has been arrested in Canada, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
An investigation by the FBI along with Canadian law enforcement led to the arrest of Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, in Ormstown, Quebec, south of Montreal.
“The defendant was allegedly determined to kill Jewish people here in the United States, nearly one year after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Authorities believe he intended to travel to an unidentified Jewish center in Brooklyn with automatic and semi-automatic weapons to carry out his plot. Investigators say they intercepted encrypted messages from Khan, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, declaring his allegiance to ISIS. Undercover officers managed to gain his trust and he began sharing those messages with them.
The charges allege he had hoped to recruit other ISIS supporters to carry out a coordinated attack throughout the city. He later changed his plan to focus on the Jewish center.
“Jewish communities — like all communities in this country — should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack. The Justice Department will continue to work closely with our domestic and international partners to aggressively counter the threat posed by ISIS and other terrorist organizations and their supporters,” said Garland.
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