An Albany woman is facing a federal terrorism charge after prosecutors in the Northern District of New York said Thursday that she plotted to bomb the New York State Capitol and kill state senators inside the building.
Jessica Bowie, 35, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. She appeared in federal court in Albany on Thursday. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Bowie pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in multiple audio recordings and conducted surveillance at the Capitol at least five times, taking dozens of photographs from various vantage points, according to a criminal complaint reported by CNN.
Investigators said she had been under watch for more than a month while communicating with at least one confidential informant posing as an Islamic State facilitator. She asked the informant for help building explosives, then deleted the messages, the complaint said.
Operatives working with the FBI provided money that she used to buy bomb-making ingredients at a hardware store, including long nails intended as shrapnel, according to the affidavit. She also discussed concealing the device in a food delivery bag and arranged to obtain a firearm and ammunition to use against police or security if needed, authorities said.
On Wednesday, the operatives handed Bowie a gun, ammunition and an inert explosive device along with instructions on how to use them, authorities said. Agents arrested her as she left the meeting carrying the items.
Craig L. Tremaroli, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Albany field office, told reporters Thursday that the alleged plot went beyond a single target. Bowie "wanted a complete disruption of our government," he said. Tremaroli added that she had discussed leaving the country after the attack and returning to strike the White House or Times Square on New Year's Eve.
John Sarcone, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, described the allegations in the complaint as deeply disturbing. Investigators said the plot was disrupted weeks before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The complaint says Bowie converted to Islam about five years ago and told informants she believed state lawmakers were passing laws that offended her faith.
No attorney was listed for Bowie, according to The Associated Press. Gov. Kathy Hochul thanked the FBI and the New York State Police for the arrest in a statement Thursday. The investigation is continuing.