Canadian and American investigators have arrested a man who they accuse of attempting to illegally enter the US to commit a terrorist attack against Jewish communities in New York City on behalf of the Islamic State group.
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was detained on Wednesday in Ormstown, Quebec, about 12 miles (19km) from the US border.
US officials say the suspect, a Pakistani national living near Toronto, was planning a rifle assault timed for the anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack against Israel, or during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur on 11 October.
The investigation was led by the FBI in co-ordination with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
“With the strong partnership between Canada and the US, we can reassure the public that as his actions escalated, at no point in time was Khan an immediate threat prior to his arrest,” the RCMP said in a statement on Friday.
The suspect is due to appear in court in Montreal on 13 September.
He planned the attack with two people who he did not realise were undercover agents, according to a statement released by the FBI on Friday.
He urged the undercover agents to acquire AR-style rifles, ammunition and hunting knifes for an attack.
The suspect also paid a human trafficker to smuggle him to the US border, prosecutors say.
Officials say that in messages he sent to the undercover agents, he said “New york is perfect to target jews [sic]” because of its relatively large Jewish population.
He also noted “if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11”, referring to the 11 September 2001 attack by al-Qaeda.
“The defendant was allegedly determined to kill Jewish people here in the United States, nearly one year after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said: “This planned antisemitic attack against Jewish people in the US is deplorable and there is no place for such ideological and hate-motivated crime in Canada.”
