A Canadian resident accused of plotting a mass shooting to “slaughter” Jewish people in New York City in support of ISIS remains in federal custody following a brief court appearance Wednesday, with his arraignment scheduled for Thursday.
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, faces charges of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries.
Canadian authorities arrested Khan, a Pakistani citizen, on Sept. 4, 2024, near the U.S.-Canada border and extradited him to the US on Tuesday.
“He planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many members of our Jewish community as possible, all in support of ISIS,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement on Tuesday announcing Khan’s extradition.
During the five-minute hearing in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, June 11, he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn with shoulder-length black curly hair and a long beard, while shackled at the ankles.
Khan did not speak inside the court, only nodding silently as Judge Netburn read the charges aloud and advised him of his rights.
His lawyer, Andrew Dalack of the Federal Defenders of New York, confirmed to Judge Netburn that Khan had waived his right to a bail report and consented to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
Dalack declined to comment as he exited the courtroom, and it remains unclear how Khan will plead to the charges.
Sought to ‘slaughter’ Jewish victims in NYC
The allegations, laid out in a 19-page complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, describe an elaborate, months-long effort by Khan to organize a mass shooting at a Brooklyn synagogue or Jewish community center using automatic weapons and knives
According to prosecutors, Khan reportedly began publicly expressing support for ISIS in fall 2023, sharing propaganda, videos, and extremist literature via encrypted social media platforms.
In private communications with an FBI confidential source and later two undercover agents, Khan allegedly voiced support for various ISIS offshoots, including ISIS-West Africa and ISIS-Khorasan, and expressed a desire to wage jihad either abroad or in North America.
By late July 2024, Khan was communicating extensively with two undercover agents on encrypted platforms, believing them to be fellow ISIS sympathizers, the complaint states.
He reportedly discussed forming a small operational cell with a U.S.-based associate and the two undercover officers. The alleged plan initially involved launching a coordinated, multi-site shooting targeting Chabad centers in an unnamed U.S. city involving three teams of two individuals using AR-style rifles and tactical gear to maximize casualties in confined spaces.
Prosecutors then allege that on Aug. 20, 2024, Khan changed the target location from the originally planned U.S. city to New York City, citing the large Jewish population. They say he ultimately identified a prominent Jewish religious site in Brooklyn, referred to as “Location-1” in the complaint, as the primary target.
He allegedly sent the undercover agents photos and Google map links of the location, including images of a large basement gathering area where he hoped to carry out the attack.
It is alleged that Khan selected Oct. 7, 2024, as the proposed attack date, noting that it would mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly Hamas assault on Israel and that it could coincide with Jewish holidays such as Yom Kippur.
“New York is perfect to target Jews,” Khan allegedly wrote in one message. “We are going to NYC to slaughter them.”
The complaint also details his alleged intensive preparations: The complaint states that he researched New York rental properties to use as safehouses, instructed the agents on how to evade surveillance, and acquired a $1,000 credit card to help pay for a human smuggler. It also says that he advised on the purchase of ISIS-style headbands, camouflage gear, and an “ammo box,” saying the group would need to be prepared for a “long encounter” with the anti-terrorism squad.”
Khan’s plan included entering the U.S. through a remote location with the help of a smuggler, according to authorities. On Sept. 1, 2024, Canadian law enforcement observed him vacating his apartment and traveling east from Toronto. Over the course of several days, Khan is said to have used three separate vehicles, with multiple drivers, before he was apprehended.
Federal prosecutors allege Khan was fully committed to martyrdom, saying he expressed disappointment when his U.S.-based associate appeared to back out and told the agents he was “praying for martyrdom.”
In another exchange included in the complaint, Khan allegedly suggested the attack would be “the largest on U.S. soil since 9/11.”
