"If we succeed with our plan, this would be largest attack on US ...," read encrypted message of Pakistani extradited for planning ISIS-inspired terror attacks in New York
A Pakistani national residing in Canada,
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan
, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was extradited to the United States this week to face charges for plotting an
ISIS-inspired mass shooting
at a Jewish community center in New York City. The planned attack, intended to coincide with the first anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. The plot was uncovered largely through Khan's use of encrypted messaging apps, which reportedly played a critical role in both his planning and eventual apprehension.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Khan allegedly tried to enter the US to commit the attack and planned an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on October 7, 2024, around the first anniversary of the 2023 Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. "Major news… earlier this afternoon, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, was extradited to the United States on charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and attempting to commit acts of terrorism," Patel said in a post on Twitter.
How Muhammad Shahzeb Khan relied on messaging apps
Khan, 20, was charged in the Southern District of New York, according to a Department of Justice press release. The investigation revealed that Khan relied heavily on encrypted messaging platforms to communicate his plans, believing these apps provided secure and untraceable communication. However, one of his contacts was an undercover FBI agent. The encrypted message that exposed Khan's intentions was sent to this agent, whom Khan is said to have trusted as an ally. In a communication with undercover law enforcement officers, Khan claimed that if the plan succeeded, it would be "the largest attack on US soil since 9/11." In it, he also outlined his goal to kill "as many Jewish people as possible" in New York City on October 7, 2024.
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The investigation gained momentum after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested a father and son, Ahmed Eldidi and Mostafa Eldidi, on July 31, 2024, in connection with a separate terrorist plot in Ontario. This arrest is said to have spooked Khan, prompting him to send an encrypted message to his supposed associates, urging them to "lay low" and avoid social media to evade detection. The recipients were undercover agents who encouraged him to proceed with the attack, assuring him that weapons were ready. This deception kept Khan engaged, allowing authorities to reportedly gather further evidence through monitored encrypted communications.
Khan arrived in Toronto on June 24, 2023, on a student visa, though it remains unclear which university he was enrolled in. On September 4, 2024, he began his journey toward the US border, starting in Toronto and driving to Napanee, Ontario, to pick up others allegedly involved in the plot. In Napanee, Khan and an unidentified female switched vehicles and continued to Montreal, where they changed cars again with another person driving. Approximately 19 kilometers from the US border, Canadian authorities stopped the vehicle and arrested Khan, thwarting the planned attack. He was provisionally arrested in Canada in September 2024 based on a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York.
The case underscores the dual nature of encrypted messaging apps in modern terrorism investigations. While these platforms offer privacy and are widely used for legitimate purposes, they are also exploited by individuals planning illicit activities.
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