If convicted, Khan faces a most sentence of 20 years in jail (Representational)
New York:
A 20-year-old Pakistani citizen, residing in Canada, has been arrested and charged by the US for planning a terror assault concentrating on Jews in New York Metropolis across the October 7 anniversary of Hamas’ assault on Israel.
Khan, or Shahzeb Jadoon, deliberate a terrorist assault in New York Metropolis (NYC) round October 7 with the “aim of slaughtering, within the identify of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), as many Jewish folks as potential,” Lawyer Basic Merrick Garland mentioned in a press release on Friday.
Recognized as an ISIS supporter, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan was arrested on Wednesday in Ormstown city, about 60 km south of Montreal in Canada, and roughly 20 km from the US-Canada border. He additionally faces three prices in Canada.
He was arrested in reference to a criticism filed within the Southern District of New York for trying to supply materials assist and assets to ISIS.
If convicted, Khan faces a most sentence of 20 years in jail.
Hamas based mostly within the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented assault on Israel by land, air and sea on October 7, 2023.
As per Khan’s preparation in reference to the deliberate assault, Khan tried to succeed in the US-Canada border. He used three separate automobiles to journey throughout Canada in direction of the US earlier than being stopped close to Ormstown.
Because of the investigative work of the American company, “and the fast motion of our Canadian legislation enforcement companions, the defendant was taken into custody”, mentioned Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC Information) and added that Khan now faces three prices in Canada.
The fees are, ‘Trying to go away Canada to commit an offence for a terrorist group’, ‘Collaborating within the actions of a terrorist group’, and ‘Conspiracy to commit an offence by violating US immigration legislation – coming into or trying to enter the US unlawfully’, it added.
In line with the criticism filed in New York, Khan tried to journey from Canada to New York Metropolis, the place he meant to make use of automated and semi-automatic weapons to hold out a mass capturing in assist of the IS at a Jewish centre in Brooklyn, New York.
Khan started posting on social media and speaking with others on an encrypted messaging utility about his assist for the IS in or about November final yr when, amongst different issues, Khan distributed IS propaganda movies and literature.
“If we succeed with our plan, this might be the most important assault on US soil since 9/11,” he mentioned in one of many messages.
Khan started speaking with two undercover legislation enforcement officers, the assertion mentioned, including, throughout these conversations, Khan confirmed that he and a US-based IS supporter, recognized solely as Affiliate-1 within the criticism, had been planning to hold out an assault in a specific US metropolis, recognized as ‘Metropolis-1.’ Amongst different issues, Khan mentioned that he had been actively trying to create “an actual offline cell” of IS supporters to hold out a “coordinated assault” within the metropolis utilizing AR-style rifles to “goal Israeli Jewish Chabad… scattered throughout” (town).
Throughout subsequent conversations, Khan repeatedly instructed the undercover officers to acquire AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and different supplies to hold out the assaults and recognized the particular places within the metropolis the place the assaults would happen, the criticism mentioned.
Khan additionally supplied particulars about how he would cross the border from Canada into the US for the assaults.
Throughout these conversations with the undercover officers, Khan emphasised that “October 7 and Oct 11 are the perfect days for concentrating on the Jews” stating the group will certainly maintain some protest demonstrations on the primary anniversary and October 11 is ‘Yom Kippur,’ an essential Jewish pageant.
Round August 20, Khan modified his goal location from Metropolis-1 to New York Metropolis and determined to focus on a Jewish centre in Brooklyn. In assist of his selection, Khan additionally boasted that “New York is ideal to focus on Jews” as a result of it has the “largest Jewish inhabitants in America” and due to this fact, “even when we do not assault a[n] Occasion[,] we might simply rack up plenty of Jews”.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)