Pakistani National Arrested In Canada For Plotting ‘Largest’ Attack On US Soil Since 9/11
A Pakistani man living in Canada has been arrested on charges of plotting an attack on Jews in New York on the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was arrested in Ormstown, Quebec, on Wednesday afternoon, as he attempted to cross into the United States.
Khan, who is also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was planning a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, intending to “slaughter as many Jewish people as possible.” “The defendant is alleged to have planned a terrorist attack in New York City around October 7 of this year with the stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of (the Islamic State), as many Jewish people as possible,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
Mass Shooting In US
“Thanks to the investigative work of the FBI, and the quick action of our Canadian law enforcement partners, the defendant was taken into custody,” Garland said. According to the criminal complaint, Khan planned to travel to New York and carry out a mass shooting in support of IS at a Jewish center in Brooklyn on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
He claimed that New York was “perfect to target Jews” because it has the “largest Jewish population in America,” according to US officials. Even if the attack did not target a specific event, he wrote that “we could rack up easily a lot of Jews,” adding, “We are going to NYC to slaughter them.”
Largest Attack Since Since 9/11
Khan sent photos and videos of the targeted building to the undercover agents and instructed them to acquire rifles, ammunition, and “some good hunting knives so we can slit their throats.” He reportedly wrote that “if we succeed with our plan, this would be the largest attack on US soil since 9/11,” referring to the September 11, 2001, attacks.
In the statement, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Khan was allegedly determined to kill Jewish people in the United States, “nearly one year after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel.” “This investigation was led by the FBI and I am proud of the terrific work by the FBI team and our partners to disrupt Khan’s plan,” he added.
Khan revealed his plans in conversations with conspirators who were actually undercover law enforcement officers, it said. Khan was taken into custody by Canadian authorities in the town of Ormstown some 19 kilometers from the US-Canada border.
“Khan began posting on social media and communicating with others on an encrypted messaging application about his support for ISIS in or about November 2023, when, among other things, Khan distributed ISIS propaganda videos and literature. Subsequently, Khan began communicating with two undercover law enforcement officers,” the Justice Department said. The US federal government said it will seek his extradition from Canada. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.