New York Woman Charged with Plotting Explosive Attack on State Capitol and Lawmakers
Jessica Bowie, a 35-year-old woman from Albany, New York, has been charged with providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization after allegedly plotting to detonate an explosive device at the New York State Capitol building. Authorities stated that Bowie, who converted to Islam approximately five years ago, believed laws being passed were an affront to Islam and intended to kill lawmakers. The plot was uncovered through an FBI sting operation, during which Bowie communicated with confidential informants posing as ISIS facilitators. She reportedly made multiple trips to the Capitol for reconnaissance, sought lessons on building explosives, and arranged to acquire a firearm and ammunition. FBI operatives provided her with money for bomb-making ingredients and later supplied her with a gun, ammunition, and an inert explosive before her arrest. Bowie reportedly told agents after her arrest, “There’s no helping me, you guys know enough.”