Woman accused of plotting "major attack" on New York State Capitol building

A New York woman is accused of plotting "a major attack" on the state capitol building in Albany, authorities said Thursday. 

In a criminal complaint, federal prosecutors in the Northern District of New York charged Jessica Bowie, 35, with attempting to provide material support for foreign terrorist organizations. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. 

Bowie, who lives in Albany, plotted between July 16 and August 17th of this year to attack the New York State Capitol building using explosives, court documents allege. 

"Bowie had plotted to use an explosive device to attack the New York State Capitol and the New York state senators," First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone said. "The allegations in this complaint are deeply disturbing. That someone would harbor such hatred toward our way of life and seek to target the New York State Capitol and New York state senators - that's an attack on democracy itself, and one we will not tolerate." 

Sarcone alleged Bowie was radicalized online and "spread messages of hate and violence against the American people." 

The affidavit alleges she surveilled the state capitol building on five different occasions, all captured on security cameras. 

She was communicating with an FBI source posing as an ISIS infiltrator. 

"I would like to [target] state capitol," Bowie allegedly wrote to the source. She also also allegedly told another source she was receiving help to plan "a major attack." 

In one message to the source, Bowie is alleged to have written that she wanted "to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting ... I want them to lose alot of important documents as well."

She added, "I want it to have a affect on the American system," later adding she wanted to disguise herself as a food delivery driver with a bomb in a bag, according to the criminal complaint. 

She is alleged to have met in person with two other confidential sources, who recorded the meeting. In that meeting she is alleged to have indicated she wanted to go through with other attacks. 

The affidavit says Bowie allegedly said attacking the White House would be too difficult, and she would revisit that at a later date. "We definitely want to make sure the senators get killed for sure," she is alleged to have said. 

The affidavit says she wanted to take out half of the staff there. 

"Today, the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI announced the arrest of an individual who allegedly plotted an attack on the New York State Capitol. I'm grateful to the FBI for leading this investigation and to the New York State Police for their work to apprehend this dangerous individual," Gov Kathy Hochul said in a statement. "Earlier this year, amid a rise in political violence and threats against public officials, we took steps to strengthen security at the State Capitol and across state government."

Hochul added "there is no immediate threat at this time." 

Bowie, the affidavit alleges, converted to Islam five years ago and formally made an oath of allegiance to ISIS in May of this year. 

She allegedly expressed gratitude for the 9/11 attacks in post on social media, prosecutors said. 

She is alleged to have gone to a Home Depot near her home where she bought devices "needed to build an explosive device." She told one source that she "went from a little girl waving an American flag after 9/11 to now having stickers of the falling towers." She gave the source $200 as a donation to a purported bomb maker. 

When she left the source's vehicle, she was arrested an in possession of a firearm, magazine, and ammunition that she carried in a bag she brought to the meeting, in addition to a purported explosive device. The FBI allegedly also found knives and a handwritten bayah - a formal oath of allegiance - on her. 

After being arrested she admitted she knew she was going to jail. "There's no helping me" she allegedly told FBI Albany agents. 

This is a developing story. Check back soon for more information.