Canadian and U.S. authorities have apprehended Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a 20-year-old Pakistani national, accused of planning a terrorist attack against Jewish communities in New York City on behalf of ISIS. Khan, who also went by the alias Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested last Wednesday in Ormstown, Quebec, near the U.S. border.
According to U.S. charges, Khan attempted to provide material support to ISIS and planned to carry out a rifle assault timed to either the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 or the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The investigation, a joint effort by the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), revealed his alleged plot.
In a statement, the RCMP praised the cooperation between Canadian and U.S. law enforcement, emphasizing that the public was never in immediate danger before Khan’s arrest. Khan’s plans were reportedly discussed with two individuals who were, in fact, undercover agents. The FBI disclosed that Khan was seeking AR-style rifles, ammunition, and hunting knives for his planned attack and had attempted to arrange for illegal entry into the U.S. through a human trafficker.
In conversations with the undercover agents, Khan allegedly described New York as a prime target due to its large Jewish population and expressed a desire to make the attack as significant as the September 11 attacks.
FBI Director Christopher Wray highlighted the seriousness of Khan’s alleged intentions, noting his desire to “kill Jewish people in the U.S., nearly a year after the Hamas attacks on Israel.”
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated Khan’s extradition process from Canada. RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme condemned the plot as a “deplorable, antisemitic attack,” and reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to combatting ideological hate crimes. Khan will appear in a Montreal court on September 13 as Canadian and American authorities continue their joint efforts to prevent extremist violence.