Jessica Bowie, 35, from Albany, New York, was arrested on August 19, 2026, by FBI agents while carrying a fake bomb, a defective gun, and knives as part of an alleged ISIS-inspired plot to bomb the New York State Capitol building [1, 2, 3]. Bowie reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and posted online messages praising the September 11, 2001 attacks [1, 4, 5, 2, 6].
Between July 21 and August 9, Bowie conducted at least five reconnaissance visits to the Capitol, scouting locations to plant a bomb concealed in a food delivery bag, including a DoorDash-branded bag, she planned to use to disguise her attack [1, 2, 3, 6]. She allegedly told FBI agents she wanted to "destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they were meeting," aiming also to destroy important documents and disrupt the American political system [1, 7, 6]. An informant said Bowie threatened to kill state senators and cause significant damage [6].
Undercover FBI agents and informants supplied Bowie with a fake bomb, a defective gun, and $200 to purchase bombing materials while guiding her on bomb-making techniques [1, 2, 7, 6]. She considered disguising herself as a food delivery driver to gain entry to the Capitol [5, 6]. Authorities also say Bowie planned to flee to ISIS-controlled Syria after the attack and may have contemplated further attacks if successful [4, 6].
Bowie converted to Islam about five years before her arrest and had posted anti-American messages online supporting terrorist acts [1, 3]. She now faces charges for providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization under U.S. law [1, 5, 7, 8].
Governor Kathy Hochul said, "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," following the arrest and announcing increased security around the Capitol [4, 9].
Bowie appeared in Albany court on August 20 and was ordered held pending trial. Her lawyer did not comment immediately [2, 3, 8]. The FBI and local authorities continue investigations related to the plot.
