FBI Arrests Egyptian teen over alleged plot to attack Israeli Consulate in New York
Shafaq News/ US authorities have arrested an Egyptian teenager accused of planning an attack against the Israeli consulate in New York City, Israeli media and court documents said on Thursday.
The suspect, Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan, 18, a resident of Falls Church, Virginia, reportedly instructed an undercover FBI informant to carry out the attack, according to the FBI complaint filed in federal court in Virginia.
Hassan allegedly managed several social media accounts promoting support for ISIS and advocating violence against Jews, the complaint stated.
Hassan came under investigation after local police received a tip about his activities on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. An FBI informant, posing as an ally, contacted Hassan on social media and encrypted messaging apps.
During their communications, Hassan allegedly provided instructions on how to join ISIS and shared jihadist propaganda, including videos urging violence against Jews.
The FBI said Hassan instructed the informant to construct a bomb and target a site associated with Jewish people, ultimately selecting the Israeli consulate in New York City. He reportedly gave detailed instructions for making explosives, advising the use of 30 mm aluminum ball bearings as shrapnel to maximize damage, according to the complaint.
Hassan also allegedly coached the informant on conducting surveillance of the consulate and suggested alternative methods of attack, including using an assault rifle.
Hassan was arrested on December 17, according to court filings. He is charged with offenses related to disseminating information on explosives and weapons of mass destruction.
Ofir Akunis, Israel’s consul-general in New York, expressed gratitude to US law enforcement for thwarting the alleged plot.
“This attempted attack by terror organizations is an attack on the sovereign soil of the State of Israel in its entirety,” Akunis said in a statement to Israeli media. “It’s proof that terror knows no boundaries and that we must fight it everywhere and every time.”
