The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States has claimed to have thwarted a planned attack to kill lawmakers at the New York State Capitol.

On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced it had arrested a suspect, 35-year-old Jessica Bowie, who was accused of obtaining an explosive after pledging loyalty to ISIL (ISIS).

Since 2004, the US has designated ISIL a “foreign terrorist organisation”. Bowie was charged with providing material support to such a group.

John A Eisenberg, the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement that investigators had stopped Bowie “before she was able to act on her plot to bring terror to the Capital Region”.

He added that investigators believe Bowie planned to destroy as much of the state capitol as possible, before fleeing to Syria.

Case relies on confidential informants

In a 21-page complaint, a special agent for the FBI outlined the government’s case against Bowie.

He explained that Bowie, an Albany resident, was a “frequent social media user” who created over a dozen accounts “relaying support for terrorism”.

One of her posts included the message, “Praise be to [God] for September 11th,” a reference to the deadly 2021 attacks in the US, according to the complaint.

In July, the court filing indicated that an unnamed FBI informant began communicating with Bowie through encrypted apps. Bowie allegedly messaged the informant that she would like help making a bomb and identified her state capitol as her intended target.

“I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators,” one of the messages reportedly said.

The informant later set up meetings with two other confidential informants, one of whom gave her $200 to buy materials to make a bomb from the hardware store Home Depot.

The complaint included photos of Bowie allegedly using a self-checkout lane at Home Depot. It also showed Bowie taking cellphone pictures outside the state capitol, allegedly as part of a “reconnaissance” operation.

Bowie later bought a firearm and ammunition from one of the informants, who instructed her about how to use them, the complaint said. The FBI arrested her on Wednesday.

During a subsequent interview at the FBI’s Albany offices, special agents said that Bowie told them, “Material support is up to 20 years in prison. I already Googled it before. I know I’m going to jail.”

Controversial tactics

The US government has often relied on confidential sources and informants infiltrating groups to bring criminal charges related to terrorism.

But those methods are controversial. Rights groups have criticised “sting” operations for using undercover agents to convince suspects to plot attacks.

One case involving four men, known as the “Newburgh Four”, became emblematic of the risks.

In that instance, an FBI informant approached the suspects in Newburgh, New York, about a plot to target synagogues and military aircraft. To secure their participation, the informant offered $250,000 and other incentives.

The four were arrested in 2009 and found guilty the following year of “terrorism-related” charges.

Critics, however, accused the informant of preying on the poverty of the men, and lawyers for the men argued that they did little to push the plot forward, even attempting to avoid the informant at times.

More than a decade later, in 2023 and 2024, the four men were granted compassionate release after a judge ruled that the “real lead conspirator” in the plot “was the United States” (Al Jazeera).

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