By: Fern Sidman

A chilling transnational terrorism case has gripped New York this week, as Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a 20-year-old Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, stands accused of plotting a mass shooting targeting Jewish communities in New York City in the name of ISIS. According to a report on Wednesday at amNY.com, Khan, also known by the alias Shahzeb Jadoon, remains in federal custody following a brief appearance in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, June 11, with his arraignment set for Thursday.

Federal prosecutors have charged Khan with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. If convicted, he could face decades in prison.

Khan was arrested by Canadian authorities on September 4, 2024, near the U.S.-Canada border and extradited to the United States on Tuesday. As amNY.com reported, prosecutors allege he intended to enter the U.S. illegally through a remote smuggling route and carry out a high-casualty terrorist attack in Brooklyn aimed explicitly at Jewish targets.

According to a 19-page complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, Khan began publicly aligning himself with ISIS ideology in late 2023, disseminating extremist propaganda, videos, and literature via encrypted social media channels. As the amNY.com report detailed, Khan engaged in extensive private communications with a confidential FBI source and two undercover federal agents, whom he believed were fellow ISIS sympathizers.

Through these encrypted conversations, Khan revealed his support for ISIS offshoots such as ISIS-West Africa and ISIS-Khorasan, and declared his desire to wage jihad either abroad or on North American soil. By July 2024, he was in deep planning mode.

In a particularly disturbing message cited by amNY.com, Khan allegedly wrote: “New York is perfect to target Jews… We are going to NYC to slaughter them.”

The case laid out in the complaint traces how Khan’s scheme evolved over several months. Originally, he planned a multi-site, coordinated shooting involving three teams of two individuals, targeting Chabad centers in an unnamed American city. But in August 2024, he allegedly pivoted to New York City, citing its large Jewish population.

According to the information provided in the amNY.com report, the plan became alarmingly detailed. Khan identified a specific Jewish religious site in Brooklyn, labeled “Location-1” in the complaint, and forwarded Google Maps links, photographs, and floor plans, including images of a large basement gathering area where he hoped to maximize casualties. His selected attack date was October 7, 2024—chosen to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel and to potentially coincide with the solemn Jewish holiday Yom Kippur.

Khan’s operational planning was meticulous, according to the report at amNY.com. He allegedly advised his co-conspirators on the acquisition of automatic weapons, ISIS-style headbands, tactical camouflage, and ammunition boxes, stating they needed to be prepared for a “long encounter” with counterterrorism forces.

The complaint further alleges that Khan researched rental properties in New York to use as safehouses, arranged for $1,000 in funds to pay a human smuggler, and directed the agents on how to avoid surveillance. He even instructed them to delete digital traces of their conversations and avoid using mobile phones near sensitive sites.

In messages shared with the FBI agents, Khan expressed a willingness to die in the attack and described his hope for martyrdom. When a U.S.-based associate appeared to back out, Khan was reportedly disheartened but remained fully committed.

In one particularly grim message, amNY.com reported, Khan claimed the planned assault would be “the largest on U.S. soil since 9/11.”

At his initial court appearance in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, Khan appeared calm and silent. As described in the amNY.com report, he entered the courtroom shackled at the ankles, with shoulder-length black curly hair and a long beard, offering no verbal response to the charges. He simply nodded silently as Judge Netburn read the charges and informed him of his rights.

His attorney, Andrew Dalack of the Federal Defenders of New York, confirmed that Khan had waived his right to a bail hearing and would remain in custody until his next court appearance. Dalack offered no comment as he exited the courthouse, and it remains unclear how Khan will plead to the charges.

As the amNY.com report noted, the case highlights the continuing threat posed by homegrown extremists radicalized via online propaganda, especially in the shadow of global conflicts such as the war between Israel and Hamas. The timing of the plot—set for October 7—raises questions about the symbolic connection between international terror groups and antisemitic violence on U.S. soil.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, in announcing Khan’s extradition, said: “He planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many members of our Jewish community as possible, all in support of ISIS.”

The case has drawn the attention of Jewish advocacy groups and public officials concerned about the rise in antisemitic threats. As the amNY.com report emphasized, the target—a bustling synagogue or community center in Brooklyn—could have been home to hundreds of congregants during the proposed attack date.

Khan’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, when formal charges will be entered. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison under federal anti-terrorism statutes.

For now, federal agents, Jewish community leaders, and terrorism analysts are poring over the details of the complaint, which the report at amNY.com called “one of the most serious ISIS-inspired domestic terror plots uncovered in recent years.”

This case serves as a sobering reminder that violent extremism remains a persistent and evolving threat, with lone actors or small cells leveraging encrypted platforms, ideological propaganda, and symbolic dates to strike at the heart of American communities.