Canadian authorities arrested a 20-year-old Pakistani national, Muhammed Shahzeb Khan, in connection with an alleged ISIS-inspired plot to attack a Jewish center in New York City.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced the arrest on Sept. 4, 2024, after Khan was found near the Canada-US border.
US prosecutors claim that Khan planned the attack to coincide with the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
Khan, who was residing in Canada, allegedly communicated his intent to two undercover law enforcement officers, sharing plans to carry out a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn.
According to the FBI’s criminal complaint, Khan described New York as “perfect to target Jews” due to its large Jewish population.
He reportedly sought assistance in obtaining weapons for the attack and planned to enter the US with the help of a human smuggler.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged Khan with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization in both the US and Canada.
Khan is scheduled to appear in a Canadian court on Sept. 13, 2024.
This arrest comes amid heightened concerns about global antisemitism. Following the October 7 attacks, antisemitic incidents surged, with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reporting a 361 percent increase in the US.
Similar trends have been observed globally, with the UK experiencing a sharp rise in hate crimes targeting Jewish communities. In addition, Islamophobic incidents have also risen in the aftermath of the Hamas attack.
The plot recalls past antisemitic violence in the US, including the deadliest attack on October 27, 2018, when a white nationalist gunman killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
