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Americans should be alarmed but grateful tonight that federal agents intercepted what authorities say was an ISIS-inspired plot aimed at the New York State Capitol in Albany. Federal prosecutors charged 35-year-old Jessica Bowie with attempting to provide material support to ISIS after an investigation that culminated in her arrest as she obtained what she believed to be an explosive device on August 19.
According to the criminal complaint, Bowie conducted weeks of surveillance on the Capitol — taking photos and visiting the grounds repeatedly — and told confidential sources she wanted to “destroy as much of the building as possible” and kill senators while they were meeting. The complaint alleges she communicated with FBI sources for more than a month, sought help acquiring explosives and was arrested after meeting people she believed would help her carry out the attack.
Government filings and prosecutors say Bowie openly embraced ISIS online, recorded a formal oath of allegiance, and posted anti-American messages praising September 11, which underlines the real and radical enemy this country still faces. These are not idle words or internet theater; investigators say she expressed a plan to flee to ISIS-held territory in Syria after the attack, a chilling reminder that foreign terror ideologies still reach into our towns and cities.
Experts on Fox have been right to warn that a “perfect storm” is forming where political paralysis, reduced funding for key security functions, and the unchecked power of online extremists feed one another and create openings for dangerous actors to radicalize at scale. Former DHS advisor Charles Marino and others have argued that when authorities are hamstrung politically and platforms refuse responsibility, bad actors exploit the chaos and accelerate recruitment and plotting.
Conservatives should use this moment to demand common-sense, hardline responses: secure the border to stop foreign fighters and illicit networks from exploiting gaps, fund our law-enforcement and intelligence partners so they can do their jobs, and hold Big Tech accountable for tolerating propaganda that radicalizes vulnerable Americans. We cannot cower behind platitudes about nuance while our institutions and fellow citizens are targeted; this is about protecting lives, law, and the very idea of America itself.
We should also praise the FBI and local partners who prevented a massacre and move swiftly to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law — success in prevention must be matched by unwavering punishment to deter future plots. Fellow citizens, stay vigilant, demand that elected leaders put security before politics, and remember that liberty endures only while we are willing to defend it with clarity, strength, and resolve.
