A 20-year-old Pakistani national, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, was arrested in Quebec in September 2023 for allegedly plotting a mass shooting in Brooklyn, New York, as part of a plan to target Jewish people on behalf of the Islamic State (ISIS). Khan is now facing an extradition hearing set for February 2024, where U.S. authorities will attempt to bring him to trial for attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization.
Khan, who had been living in Mississauga, Ontario, arrived in Canada in June 2023 on a student visa. According to U.S. court documents, the FBI became aware of Khan after an informant saw his pro-Islamic State posts on social media. The posts included a disassembled weapon and calls for unity among Muslims, leading to further communication between the informant and Khan on encrypted platforms.
Investigations uncovered Khan’s participation in a pro-ISIS chat group where he discussed plans for attacks in the U.S., Pakistan, and India. He later allegedly planned a mass shooting using AR-style rifles, targeting a Jewish center in Brooklyn around the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. Khan continued to discuss his plans even after his co-conspirators were arrested in Canada.
Khan’s defense lawyer, Gaétan Bourassa, has claimed that the case amounts to entrapment. Extradition cases are challenging to fight, as only identification and sufficient evidence are required to move forward with the trial.
Key Points:
Extradition hearing set for February 2024
Khan allegedly plotted mass shooting in NYC on behalf of ISIS
Discussions were monitored by the FBI and involved an informant
Khan is charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS