Man accused of plotting terrorist attack against Jewish people in NYC: DOJ

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) – A man is accused of plotting a terrorist attack in New York City with the goal of killing “as many Jewish people as possible,” federal authorities said Friday.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a 20-year-old Pakistani citizen living in Canada, was arrested in Canada on Wednesday as he allegedly tried to enter the United States to carry out a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“The defendant is alleged to have planned a terrorist attack in New York City around Oct. 7 of this year with the stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

Khan is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, authorities said. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.

In November 2023, Khan allegedly began posting on social media and communicating with others on an encrypted messaging app about his support for ISIS, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

At some point, Khan began communicating with two undercover law enforcement officers, authorities said. During those conversations, Khan allegedly instructed the undercover officers to obtain AR-style assault rifles and ammunition in order to carry out the terrorist attack.

Khan allegedly told the undercover officers that he planned to carry out the attack on or around Oct. 7, one year after Hamas' deadly attack in Israel.

Khan allegedly said that “Oct 7th and oct 11th are the best days for targeting the jews” because “oct 7 they will surely have some protests and oct 11 is yom.kippur.”

“The defendant was allegedly determined to kill Jewish people here in the United States, nearly one year after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel. This investigation was led by the FBI, and I am proud of the terrific work by the FBI team and our partners to disrupt Khan's plan,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said.