Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, New York, has been arrested and charged with planning an Islamic State-inspired attack on the state capitol building, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Thursday.
According to John A. Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for national security, Bowie intended to place an explosive device at the capitol to kill public officials and destroy as much of the building as possible before fleeing to IS-controlled territory in Syria.
The Justice Department said Bowie was taken into custody on Wednesday after she obtained what she believed to be an explosive device. She had been observed visiting the capitol grounds and taking photographs of the building.
While describing her target, Bowie said she wanted the attack to have an "affect on the American system," according to the Justice Department. She also shared anti-American messages online, including celebrating the September 11 attacks, in which al-Qaida militants hijacked commercial airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
A lawyer for Bowie could not be reached for immediate comment.
Following Bowie's arrest, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the state had taken steps to strengthen security at the capitol and across government amid a rise in political violence and threats against public officials. "While there is no immediate threat at this time, we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect New Yorkers and keep our communities safe," she said in a statement.