FBI Says Woman Scouted Building in Burka While Plotting ISIS Bomb Attack

Federal authorities say a New York woman accused in an ISIS-inspired plot allegedly considered bombing the New York State Capitol and even surveyed the site while wearing a burka.

Jessica Bowie, 35, was taken into custody Wednesday and charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.

Bowie, an Albany resident, was arrested after she allegedly “gained possession of what she believed to be an explosive device,” the Department of Justice said in a news release. She made her initial court appearance on Thursday.

Prosecutors allege that her intended targets included the New York State Capitol building and members of the New York State Senate.

According to the complaint, investigators determined that Bowie allegedly planned to carry out the attack before leaving the United States for Syria, where she hoped to join others in territory associated with ISIS.

Authorities claim Bowie was seen visiting the grounds of the New York State Capitol multiple times and photographing the building as part of her alleged surveillance.

An image released by officials appeared to show the suspect conducting reconnaissance while fully covered in clothing resembling a black burka.

The complaint also cites online posts allegedly made by Bowie, including messages that read, “Praise be to Allah for September 11th” and “When I can migrate, I will poison these infidels.”

Bowie allegedly said 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 a lot of important documents as well,’ she allegedly added.

Bowie also claimed that wanted to affect the ‘American system’ ‘destroy some of the taghut,’ an Islamic term that refers to the idea of worshipping anything other than God. 

The complaint said that an FBI source posing an as ‘ISIS facilitator’ had started talking with Bowie starting on July 16.

Bowie had told them about her plans to attack the building in Albany and said she wanted help making explosives, according to the legal filing.

She also allegedly said she was an ‘Islamic State supporter’ and pledged her allegiance to the Islamic State in an audio message, per the complaint.

On July 18, Bowie allegedly began sending the FBI source pictures of the New York State Capitol.

She said she took the photos ‘from the observation hall near by’ and circled a picture of the building on yellow, per the filing.

Bowie suggested an attack ‘perhaps onna [sic] day when we know senators will be meeting,’ according to the complaint. 

Bowie allegedly said that she would ‘make it a point to have picnics by the capital to observe and [have] coffee in the observation hall,’ per the complaint.

That was allegedly so she could learn about the State Capitol building’s security, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleged Bowie ‘walked around’ the building at least five times between July 21 and August 9. 

Bowie allegedly planned to put the bomb on a bag ‘that looks like food delivery so when I place it I look like a food delivery person,’ according to the complaint.

She said she would flee to Syria after the explosion, as she insisted on her ‘desire to attack the Capitol,’ the filing continued.

Bowie met with two other informants on August 5, according to the complaint.

They explained what items she would need for the bomb and gave her $200 to buy them at a Home Depot store in Rensselaer, per the complaint.

A photo included in the complaint showed Bowie buying the items, which included a ‘large plastic bin full of nails,’ per the complaint.

She was allegedly inside the store for about 28 minutes, according to the filing.

This is a breaking news story. More to come.