Woman Arrested for Allegedly Plotting to Bomb New York Capitol
A 35-year-old woman from Albany, New York, was arrested on August 19 for allegedly plotting to bomb the state Capitol and kill lawmakers. Jessica Bowie told FBI agents after her arrest that she had already Googled the maximum sentence for material support, 20 years in prison.
Bowie planned to hide a bomb in a DoorDash bag and carry it to the Capitol disguised as a food delivery worker, targeting the largest number of state senators present. She allegedly wanted to destroy government records and damage the building 'as much as possible.'
The plot began with Bowie's conversion to Islam about five years ago and her adoption of the name 'Aisha Saif.' The FBI says she created over a dozen social media profiles under variations of this name, promoting terrorism by May. She allegedly posted messages in Arabic praising 9/11 and discussing poisoning 'infidels.'
Bowie contacted an encrypted app believed to be an ISIS facilitator on July 16 and asked for help making explosives. Between July 21 and August 9, surveillance teams observed her around the Capitol, photographing entrances and the surrounding area.