Arrest of a Pakistani in Canada for Allegedly Planning Attack on Jews on October 7 Anniversary

The U.S. Department of Justice has accused a Pakistani national of planning an attack on Jews in New York City, coinciding with the anniversary of the extremist group Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7 of last year. Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization in the U.S. and the European Union, just like Israel. The Pakistani citizen, named Muhammad Shahbaz Khan, 20 years old, and residing in Canada, was allegedly set to carry out this attack in support of the Islamic State (ISIS). According to the U.S. Department of Justice's statement on Friday, September 6, he had expressed to an undercover agent his intention to target New York because it has the "largest Jewish population in America." Khan was arrested last Wednesday in Canada and is accused of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Canadian police are investigating the sending of bomb threat emails to dozens of Jewish centers. Merrick Garland, the U.S. Attorney General, stated that the accused intended to execute a plan in New York with the goal of "slaughtering as many Jews as possible" in support of ISIS. He emphasized that the Jewish community, like other communities in this country [the U.S.], should not live in fear of being the target of a hate-fueled terrorist attack. In November 2023, while living in Canada, Muhammad Shahbaz Khan discussed his support for ISIS in an encrypted messaging program with two individuals who were undercover agents without his knowledge. He told these agents that he planned to carry out his attack during the anniversary of Hamas's attack on Israel, as Jews would likely hold demonstrations at that time. According to CNN, when Khan decided on the attack location, he paid a human smuggler to help him enter the United States. However, he was stopped and arrested 12 miles from the Canada-U.S. border. Following Hamas's attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages, anti-Semitic attacks against Jewish centers and individuals following this religion have increased in the U.S. and Europe. Hamas's attack on Israeli territory led to Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip, which has continued for nearly a year and has claimed the lives of over 40,000 residents of this enclave.