ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — An Albany woman who authorities said had been plotting to bomb the New York state Capitol building in an effort to kill lawmakers because she believed laws were being passed that were an affront to Islam is facing a federal terrorism charge.
Authorities said Thursday that Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, had been under surveillance for more than a month as she communicated with at least one confidential informant posing as an ISIS
facilitator. Investigators said they foiled the attack just weeks away from the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
No attorney information was listed for Bowie, who was arrested Wednesday, and a phone call to the Federal Public Defenders' office in Albany on Thursday was not immediately returned.
“The allegations in this complaint are deeply disturbing,” said John Sarcone, first assistant US attorney for the Northern District of New York. “That’s an attack on democracy itself and one we will not tolerate.”
Court documents said Bowie had converted to Islam about five years ago. The affidavit of probable cause said FBI counterterrorism agents saw a number of online accounts linked back to Bowie in which she had expressed support for terrorism in posts starting around May.
Agents began monitoring those accounts and became aware starting around July 16 that Bowie wanted to carry out an attack on the state Capitol. She asked for lessons from at least one confidential informant on how to build an explosive device, made at least five trips to the Capitol grounds to plan where it might be most effective to set off an explosive, and scoped out security measures all while in contact with multiple informants, authorities said.
Pictures of Bowie conducting reconnaissance at the Capitol and buying a list of bomb-making ingredients at a hardware store — including long nails for shrapnel — were included in the affidavit. She also arranged to buy a firearm and ammunition in order to fire the weapon at police or security if needed, authorities said.
“Ms. Bowie did not just plan to kill lawmakers, she wanted a complete disruption of our government,” said Craig L. Tremaroli, special agent in charge of the FBI's Albany Field Office.
Tremaroli said she planned to flee the country after the attack, but said she would be willing to return to launch more attacks on the White House or on Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
The affidavit also noted Bowie had considered making Albany City Hall a target, but had settled on the Capitol and specifically targeted state senators because they make laws that she considered to be offensive to Islam. It's unclear when she hoped to carry out the attack, given the legislature has been out of session since June.
Gov. Kathy Hochul's office released a statement Thursday, saying the state had taken steps earlier this year to strengthen security across state government, including at the Capitol, amid a rise nationally in political violence and threats against public officials.
“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,” she wrote in the statement.
