Pakistani Citizen Arrested for Alleged Terror Plot in New York

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani citizen living in Canada, has been arrested for planning a terrorist attack in New York City. Accused of targeting a Jewish center in Brooklyn, Khan allegedly intended to execute the attack with automatic weapons. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

A Pakistani citizen residing in Canada was apprehended on Wednesday for allegedly planning a terrorist attack in New York City in support of the Islamic State, the U.S. Department of Justice disclosed on Friday.

The suspect, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, is charged with plotting a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn around October 7, 2024, nearly one year after a Hamas attack that claimed over 1,000 lives in Israel. According to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Khan aimed to kill "as many Jewish people as possible."

Khan was intercepted while attempting to cross from Canada into the United States, armed with plans to use automatic and semi-automatic weapons for the attack. He was detained just 12 miles from the U.S. border. The indictment alleges that Khan disclosed his plans to two undercover law enforcement officers, instructing them to acquire AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other necessities for the attack, and even specified target locations in New York City.

The Department of Justice commended Canadian authorities for their role in preventing the planned attack, emphasizing that Jewish communities, along with all communities, should not be subjected to hate-fueled terrorism. Khan now faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

(With inputs from agencies.)