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Authorities have filed a federal terrorism charge against a woman accused of plotting to set off an explosive device at the New York State Capitol building in Albany. Court documents allege the suspect pledged allegiance to the Islamic state. Samuel King with New York Public News Network reports.
SAMUEL KING, BYLINE: The New York State Capitol sits as a stone and granite fortress atop a hill in Albany. Federal authorities allege 35-year-old Jessica Bowie plotted for weeks to destroy as much of it as she could and kill people inside. Craig Tremaroli, a special agent in charge of the FBI's Albany office, he says Bowie pledged allegiance to the Islamic state earlier this year, and that investigators used her social media accounts to determine that she was a threat.
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CRAIG TREMAROLI: She conducted surveillance at the Capitol at least five times, taking dozens of photos. She requested a gun she intended to use on any law enforcement officer who tried to stop.
KING: Authorities say Bowie is a U.S. citizen and was taken into custody on Wednesday after meeting with informants who she thought were helping her carry out her plans. She's been charged with attempting to provide material support for a designated terrorist organization. According to the criminal complaint, in early August, undercover FBI informants met with Bowie in a car, told her what materials she would need to make a bomb, drove her to a local Home Depot and gave her $200 to purchase the materials. At the meeting this week, the informants handed her a fake device, along with a gun she had given them money to purchase. Once she had them in her hands, she was arrested. Former U.S. Attorney John Fishwick says this type of sting operation is a common law enforcement tactic.
JOHN FISHWICK: They're building the case. And they want to make sure that she doesn't do something that they don't know about. So they're never going to let somebody like this, once they've got their eyes on them, go forward with their terrorism.
KING: New York Governor Kathy Hochul was not at the Capitol this week. And the state legislative session ended in early June. Hochul said the state elevated security at the Capitol earlier this year in the face of rising political threats.
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KATHY HOCHUL: Because law enforcement intercepted this plot, alleged plot, early, there was never any active danger to our state Capitol. And right now, there are no specific credible threats against the Capitol.
KING: A judge ordered Bowie detained pending trial. She is being represented by a federal public defender, who declined to comment on the case.
For NPR News, I'm Samuel King in Albany.
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