Pakistani National Pleads Guilty to Plotting ISIS-Inspired Mass Shooting at Brooklyn Jewish Center

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan faces life in prison after pleading guilty to a planned mass shooting at a Brooklyn Jewish center timed for the October 7 anniversary.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 9, 2026, 10:16 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from the Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice.

A Targeted Anniversary Plot

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday that Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani national residing in Canada, has formally pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges. Khan admitted to planning a large-scale mass shooting at a prominent Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. His objective was to execute the attack on or around October 7, 2024, to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. Khan told undercover officers that New York City was the "perfect" target due to its high Jewish population, stating his intent to "slaughter" as many individuals as possible.

Undercover Operation and Logistics

Federal investigators revealed that Khan’s planning began in November 2023, when he started distributing ISIS propaganda on social media. Unbeknownst to him, two individuals he recruited to assist with the plot were undercover FBI officers. Khan repeatedly instructed these officers to procure AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and hunting knives. He identified specific enclosed areas within the Brooklyn religious center and provided photographs of the locations where he intended to open fire. Khan boasted to the undercover agents that if successful, the massacre would be the largest terrorist event in the United States since the September 11 attacks.

Border Interception and Arrest

The plot was disrupted in September 2024 as Khan attempted to enter the United States illegally. After hiring a human smuggler to facilitate his crossing from Canada, Khan traveled from the Toronto area toward the northern border. Law enforcement officials intercepted and arrested him in Ormstown, Canada, approximately 12 miles from the U.S. border. Following his arrest, Khan remained in Canadian custody until he was extradited to the Southern District of New York in June 2025 to face federal prosecution.