An alarming incident of alleged terrorism has shaken the nation, with a 35-year-old woman from Albany, New York, being charged with supporting a designated foreign terror organization. Jessica Bowie, a resident of Albany, is accused of planning an ISIS-inspired plot to attack the New York State Capitol building.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, Bowie allegedly told a confidential source that she supported ISIS and was seeking assistance in creating explosives. The complaint also states that Bowie created several social media accounts under an honorific Islamic name, which sent messages expressing support for terrorism between May and July.

The investigation reveals that Bowie communicated with a confidential FBI source who was posing as an ISIS facilitator between July 16 and August 17. During this period, she allegedly expressed her desire to help attack her state capitol and stated that she wanted to ‘harm the enemies of God.’ Bowie further claimed that if she managed to escape after the attack, she would return for future attacks.

Bowie’s alleged plans took a sinister turn when she purchased materials to make a bomb at a hardware store on August 5. Over the next two weeks, she allegedly plotted with the informants, who eventually met with her on Wednesday and provided her with an inert explosive device and a non-working handgun along with instructions on how to detonate the explosive.

According to the complaint, Bowie allegedly told the informant, ‘I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting.’ She further stated that she chose to target the state capitol because ‘ideally it would be the White House with the president, but like, that’s an even harder job.’

When asked if it would bother her if other people were killed, including Muslims, Bowie responded, ‘I’d say it definitely bothers me, and I know I’m going to hear about the things after – what’s going to bother me, especially if there’s a Muslim, if there’s children, pregnant women.’ She expressed her hope that Allah would forgive her.

However, Bowie’s alleged intentions were foiled when the FBI arrested her soon after. During the interview, she allegedly stated, ‘There’s no helping me, you guys know enough, there’s no helping me, I’m … going to prison for the rest of my life.’ She further acknowledged that ‘material support is up to 20 years in prison, I already Googled it before, I know I’m going to jail.’

New York Governor Kathy Hochul released a statement expressing gratitude to the FBI and local police for their work in preventing a potential terrorist attack. She emphasized that while there is no immediate threat at this time, the state will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners to protect New Yorkers and keep communities safe.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of terrorism and the importance of vigilance in preventing such attacks. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen what further information will come to light about Bowie’s alleged plans and motivations.