In a coordinated effort involving U.S. and Canadian law enforcement, 20-year-old Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested in Canada on September 4 in connection with a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York. Khan faces charges for allegedly attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The U.S. Department of Justice, represented by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, stated that Khan had allegedly planned a mass shooting in New York City scheduled for October 7, 2024. The target was a Jewish center in Brooklyn, and the aim was to kill as many Jewish people as possible in the name of ISIS.
“The defendant is alleged to have planned a terrorist attack with the goal of slaughtering Jewish people in New York City,” Garland said. “Thanks to the FBI’s investigative work and the swift action of Canadian law enforcement, the defendant was taken into custody.”
Khan’s arrest follows months of planning. According to the complaint, he had expressed his support for ISIS and discussed plans with undercover officers posing as ISIS supporters. Khan allegedly intended to cross from Canada into the U.S. to carry out the attack and emphasized that October 7 was the ideal date, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel in 2023.
The FBI, along with law enforcement partners in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Canada, were instrumental in disrupting the plot. Khan, who was arrested near the U.S.-Canada border, is now facing extradition to the United States.
If convicted, Khan could face up to 20 years in prison. The Justice Department is seeking his extradition while Canadian authorities continue their investigation into the case.–News Desk