Albany woman charged in alleged plot to bomb New York Capitol
Jessica Bowie, 35, faces federal terrorism charges for allegedly plotting to bomb the New York state Capitol and kill lawmakers.
Federal authorities have charged an Albany woman with terrorism after she allegedly plotted to bomb the New York state Capitol and kill lawmakers, according to court documents unsealed Thursday.
Jessica Bowie, 35, was arrested Wednesday and is accused of planning an attack motivated by her belief that state laws were offensive to Islam. The FBI said it foiled the plot weeks before the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.
Court records show Bowie converted to Islam about five years ago. FBI counterterrorism agents began monitoring her online accounts in May after she expressed support for terrorism. By mid-July, investigators say she wanted to carry out an attack on the Capitol.
Bowie allegedly communicated with confidential informants posing as ISIS facilitators, asking for bomb-making instructions. She made at least five trips to the Capitol grounds to scout locations and security measures. Investigators included photos of her buying bomb-making materials, including long nails for shrapnel, at a hardware store.
Authorities say she also arranged to purchase a firearm and ammunition to use against police or security if needed. FBI officials said Bowie planned to flee the country after the attack but was willing to return for further attacks on the White House or Times Square on New Year's Eve.
"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.
The affidavit notes Bowie considered targeting Albany City Hall but settled on the Capitol, specifically state senators. It remains unclear when she hoped to carry out the attack, as the legislature has been out of session since June.
Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said the state had strengthened security across government buildings earlier this year amid a national rise in political violence. "While there is no immediate threat at this time, we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect New Yorkers," she said in a statement.