Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York | Department of Justice
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, pleaded guilty on April 8 to attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries by planning a mass shooting at a prominent Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe, with sentencing scheduled for August 12.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about terrorism and hate-based violence targeting religious communities in the United States. Authorities say Khan's plan was motivated by support for ISIS and aimed to coincide with the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said, “Khan planned a mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York City, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks, with the explicit goal of killing as many Jews as possible.” Eisenberg also said that Khan believed New York City was an ideal location because of its large Jewish population and described his plot as potentially being "the largest attack on U.S. soil since 9/11." He added that authorities would continue efforts to bring terrorists like Khan to justice.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York said, “Muhammad Khan planned to carry out a horrendous attack on a venerated Jewish center in New York City in support of ISIS... Today’s guilty plea makes unequivocally clear: terrorism and other hate-based violence have zero place in New York City.”
According to charging documents and public filings, Khan began expressing support for ISIS online around November 2023 and discussed plans for terrorist attacks with undercover officers he believed were co-conspirators. He initially targeted locations associated with Chabad centers but shifted his focus to Brooklyn’s prominent Jewish religious site by August 2024.
Authorities say Khan coordinated efforts through social media communications and attempted illegal entry into the United States from Canada using a human smuggler before being arrested near Ormstown, Canada—approximately twelve miles from the border—in September 2024.
Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division noted that law enforcement actions prevented what could have been significant casualties: “With this guilty plea, he will now face the consequences of planning a mass shooting in New York City that might have killed or injured many people.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch stated that cooperation between local police and federal agencies stopped "this dangerous plot before it could become a devastating attack," emphasizing ongoing efforts against hate-fueled violence.
Khan faces up to life imprisonment under federal law; however, final sentencing will be determined by judicial discretion.
