The FBI arrested a woman Wednesday who they allege was plotting to attack the New York State Capitol building in Albany. The FBI alleged in a criminal complaint Thursday that Jessica Bowie, 35, pledged allegiance to ISIS in online communications and began planning the attack in July. The suspect converted to Islam about five years ago and in messages with unidentified users pledged support to ISIS, the criminal complaint said.
Bowie had allegedly discussed her plans with FBI informants and spent weeks doing surveillance of the Capitol, including taking pictures from various vantage points, including an "observation hall nearby," the criminal complaint said.
She allegedly bought bomb materials from a hardware store on Aug. 5 and plotted with the informants for the next two weeks, according to the complaint.
The informants allegedly met with Bowie on Wednesday and provided her with an inert explosive device and an inert handgun along with instructions on how to detonate the explosive, the complaint said.
The FBI soon arrested her, the complaint said.
Governor Kathy Hochul thanked the FBI and local law enforcement for their work in a statement Thursday.
"Earlier this year, amid a rise in political violence and threats against public officials, we took steps to strengthen security at the State Capitol and across state government," she said in a statement.
"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 added.
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