Pakistani National Pleads Guilty in ISIS-Inspired Plot to Attack Jewish Center in Brooklyn

(DailyAnswer.org) – A Pakistani national has pleaded guilty to planning an ISIS-inspired mass shooting targeting Brooklyn’s Jewish community, exposing how radical Islamist terrorism continues to threaten American citizens on our own soil.

Story Snapshot

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan pleaded guilty to plotting a mass shooting at a Brooklyn Jewish center timed for the October 7 anniversary
The 20-year-old Pakistani national coordinated with undercover FBI agents while in Canada, seeking to acquire AR-style rifles for the attack
Khan’s explicit goal was to “slaughter” as many Jews as possible in America’s largest Jewish population center
The case highlights ongoing failures to prevent radicalization through encrypted apps and social media platforms

ISIS-Inspired Terror Plot Targeted Brooklyn Jewish Center

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a 20-year-old Pakistani national also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was extradited from Canada in June 2025 to face charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and committing acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Khan allegedly planned a coordinated mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York, using AR-style rifles. His stated objective was to maximize Jewish casualties in what he described as retribution for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The plot represented a chilling example of how ISIS propaganda continues to radicalize individuals across borders, threatening innocent Americans.

Detailed Planning Revealed Through Encrypted Communications

Khan began posting pro-ISIS content on social media in November 2023, shortly after the October 7 Hamas attacks. By July 2024, he was actively recruiting through encrypted messaging apps, communicating with individuals he believed were fellow ISIS supporters but who were actually undercover FBI officers. Khan directed these supposed recruits to acquire rifles, ammunition, and tactical gear for what he called a “coordinated assault” on Jewish targets. On August 20, 2024, he specifically identified a Brooklyn Jewish center, sharing photographs of the location and stating, “we are going to NYC to slaughter them.” His communications demonstrated detailed knowledge of weapon procurement and attack logistics.

Arrest and Extradition Prevented October 7 Anniversary Attack

Canadian authorities arrested Khan on September 4, 2024, based on a complaint from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, preempting his planned attack date coinciding with the October 7 anniversary. The arrest came after months of surveillance and infiltration by undercover officers who documented Khan’s escalating commitment to the plot. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Khan’s extradition on June 10, 2025, emphasizing the suspect would “face American justice.” The successful disruption highlighted cooperative intelligence sharing between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement, though questions remain about how Khan radicalized so rapidly without detection by Canadian authorities monitoring extremist activity.

Rising Antisemitic Threats in Post-October 7 America

Khan’s plot emerged amid a documented surge in antisemitic incidents following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which killed over 1,200 people. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 300-percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the United States during this period. Brooklyn, home to a dense Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish community and part of New York’s 1.6 million Jewish population, became a symbolic target for Khan precisely because of its demographic concentration. The case underscores a disturbing reality: American Jewish communities face heightened security threats not just from domestic extremists but from internationally inspired terrorists who view them as proxy targets for Middle Eastern conflicts. This places an unfair burden on Jewish Americans who simply want to practice their faith safely.

Khan faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted on all charges. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton emphasized the prosecution’s commitment to “root out antisemitism” and protect vulnerable communities from terror plots. The case establishes important legal precedents for prosecuting aspirational terrorist plots disrupted before operational execution, particularly those coordinated across international borders through encrypted digital platforms. While some law enforcement officials characterized the plot as “aspirational” rather than fully operational, the evidence of Khan’s intent, detailed planning, and active recruitment efforts demonstrates the credible threat posed by ISIS-inspired lone actors radicalized online—a challenge that continues to strain counterterrorism resources and threaten American lives.