Encrypted message advicing 'lay low': How Pakistani Muhammad Shahzeb Khan was hiding in Canada
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan entered Canada from Pakistan on a student visa in 2023.
Pakistani national Muhammad Shahzeb Khan was extradited to the US for planning a mass shooting of Jews on the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack in New York City. Khan was hiding in Canada and claimed that if his plan succeeded, it would have been the "largest attack on US soil since 9/11".
Canadian media reported that Khan was traced through an encrypted message that he sent someone who thought an ally but was an undercover American agent.
The arrest of a father and son over an alleged terrorist plot in Ontario spooked Khan and he sent a message that there was a need to "lay low" on his plans of killing "as many Jewish people as possible in New York",
Khan was arrested on his way from Canada to New York to carry out his plans and has now been extradited to the US.
The RCMP said it conducted an investigation into Khan in partnership with the FBI and 'as his actions escalated, at no point in time was Khan an immediate threat prior to his arrest.'
FBI special agent Khajae Hester said Khan used encrypted messaging apps to communicate with undercover agents posing as willing participants in the plot, asking them to buy 'automatic and semi-automatic weapons.'
Here's what Khan planned sitting in Canada
United States Attorney General Merrick Garland said Khan was alleged to have had the goal of 'slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible.'
The complaint filed when Khan was arrested said that since last November, Khan 'repeatedly and explicitly expressed his support for ISIS and his desire to carry out terrorist attacks in support of ISIS.' The complaint said Khan boasted the mass shooting would be 'the largest attack on US soil since 9/11.
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According to the complaint filed in Canada, Khan faced three charges in Canada: attempting to leave Canada to commit an offence for a terrorist group, participating in activities of a terrorist group and conspiracy to commit an offence by violating US immigration law or attempting to enter the US unlawfully.
How Khan was arrested
On July 31, 2024, the RCMP arrested two terrorists -- father and son Ahmed Eldidi and Mostafa Eldidi. Khan got alerted and warned his associates to stay off social media. But the associates, who were undercover agents, told Khan that they had the weapons ready and he should go ahead with the plan. On September 4, 2024, Khan got in a vehicle in Toronto and set off for Napanee to pick up others who were supposed to accompany him on the mission.
In Nepanee, they switched to a second car and drove to Montreal where Khan and an 'unidentified female' changed vehicles again, with another person at the wheel
When they were about 19 kilometers from the US border, the vehicle was stopped and Khan was arrested.
Khan entered Canada in 2023
Khan arrived in Toronto on June 24, 2023 on a student visa. It was not known which university he was enrolled to.
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