The FBI has detained Jessica Bowie, a 35‑year‑old from Albany, for plotting to bomb the New York state capitol.
Prosecutors allege she pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and spent weeks gathering bomb materials and surveying the building. She allegedly carried a fake bomb, a defective gun supplied by undercover agents, and a DoorDash food bag to hide explosives.
Bowie was given $200 – 147 pounds – by FBI agents to purchase bomb‑making supplies at a local hardware store. She emerged claiming the nails were suitable for shrapnel.
The charging documents also list photographs Bowie took of the capitol and a written oath of allegiance to the Islamic State. She has been banned from several social media platforms for praising 9/11 attacks.
Governor Kathy Hochul thanked the FBI and state police for preventing a “dangerous individual” from acting on the plot, highlighting increased security measures at state government sites.
