Man Charged in Alleged Plot to Attack New York Jewish Center Plans to Contest Extradition, Lawyer States

By Anna Mehler Paperny

TORONTO (Reuters) – A Pakistani man accused of planning an attack on a Jewish center in New York City to support the Islamic State is set to contest his extradition to the United States, according to his attorney.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was apprehended in Canada earlier this month as he reportedly attempted to enter the U.S. He faces charges of trying to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, specifically Islamic State (ISIS).

The U.S. government is seeking to extradite him.

"I have the authorization to contest the extradition hearing," Khan’s lawyer, Gaetan Bourassa, stated. "He is a young individual who has been arrested, and we will evaluate the evidence they present to justify the extradition."

Bourassa refrained from discussing specifics of the case until he receives evidence from U.S. authorities, which has yet to be submitted.

Khan arrived in Canada on a student visa in June 2023. His lawyer did not disclose his field of study or the institution he attended.

The U.S. Department of Justice has accused Khan of planning a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn around October 7, 2024, roughly one year after Hamas’s assault in Israel, which sparked the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The Department of Justice claims that Khan began expressing support for ISIS through an encrypted messaging app in November 2023, and he allegedly shared his attack plans with undercover agents.