A 35-year-old woman has been arrested by the FBI on suspicion of planning a bomb attack on the New York State Capitol, with the aim of killing members of the state Senate.
Jessica Bowie faces charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, according to a criminal complaint made public by US authorities.
According to investigators, Bowie had pledged allegiance to the terrorist organization ISIS and discussed ways to hide a bomb inside a bag used for food distribution. She allegedly planned to carry out the attack while senators were in session at the Capitol.
Authorities say the woman converted to Islam about five years ago and began using the name “Aisha Saif.”
According to the charging documents, on May 28, 2026, using the username “nusaybahsaif” on a social media platform, Bowie wrote to another person in Arabic, expressing messages of support for the September 11 attacks and threats against people he considered “infidels.”
According to the FBI, the 35-year-old’s plans were not limited to a possible attack on the Capitol.
The head of the FBI’s Albany office, Craig Tremaroli, stated that she allegedly intended to cause a broader destabilization of American institutions.
US authorities also claim that Bowie had planned to leave the United States after the attack and then return to carry out other attacks.