"FBI: Foiled plot to target the Capitol building in New York state"

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced on Thursday evening that it had thwarted a plot linked to the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) group targeting the New York State Capitol building with explosives.

In a press statement, the FBI said that a defendant named Jessica Boy, 35, from the city of Albany in the state, had planned to detonate a bomb inside the New York State Capitol building with the aim of killing elected officials and causing widespread damage to the structure.

The FBI revealed that the defendant had pledged allegiance to ISIS and began planning the attack last July, during which time she communicated with undercover sources “whom she believed were affiliated with the group.”

It clarified that Boy’s alleged plans were not limited to targeting the state Capitol building, but also included carrying out other attacks after fleeing the country.

For her part, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a press statement that she was grateful to the FBI and the state police for their efforts in thwarting the plot and arresting the defendant, emphasizing that authorities had taken measures this year to enhance security at the Capitol building and state government institutions amid rising political violence and threats against officials.