Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, New York, is accused of supporting the Islamic State militant group and seeking help to learn how to make explosives, according to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. Bowie was arrested on August 17, 2026, by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Radicalization and Social Media Activity

Bowie converted to Islam five years ago and became radicalized online, according to the complaint. She created several social media accounts under an Islamic name, often suspending and reopening them due to violations of terms of use. Between May and July 2026, accounts linked to her posted messages expressing support for terrorism. She also swore allegiance to ISIS in audio recordings in English and Arabic and stated, ‘Praise be to Allah for September 11,’ a reference to the 9/11 attacks, according to Craig Tremaroli, FBI special agent in charge of the Albany field office.

From July 16 to August 17, Bowie communicated with a confidential source working with the FBI, who was posing as an ISIS facilitator. She asked the source for help carrying out an attack on the New York State Capitol, which is less than two miles from her home. The building was her target because she wanted to ‘harm the enemies of god,’ the complaint states.

Targeting the Capitol and Rehearsing the Attack

Bowie allegedly planned to destroy as much of the Capitol building as possible and kill the senators, according to the complaint. An unnamed FBI informant began communicating with her through encrypted apps in July. In one message, she said, ‘I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators,’ as reported in the court filing.

To prepare for the attack, Bowie allegedly met with two other confidential informants, one of whom gave her $200 to buy materials from Home Depot for making a bomb. The FBI released photos of Bowie allegedly using a self-checkout lane at the store and taking cellphone pictures outside the Capitol. These photos were reportedly part of a reconnaissance operation.

According to a report from Primicias, the FBI alleges that Bowie also discussed hiding the bomb in a DoorDash food delivery bag and planned to carry out the attack while state senators were in session. She conducted surveillance of the building at least five times between July 21 and August 9, analyzing security measures in the area.

Legal Charges and National Security Response

Bowie faces a single charge of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. John A. Eisenberg, the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for national security, stated that investigators had stopped Bowie ‘before she was able to act on her plot to bring terror to the Capital Region.’ He added that she intended to flee to Syria after the attack.

ISIS has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. since 2004. Bowie is expected to appear in court on Thursday, August 18, 2026, for a hearing. The case highlights the role of confidential informants in disrupting domestic terrorism plots and the ongoing challenges of online radicalization and surveillance.