US charges woman with Isis-inspired plot to blow up New York State Capitol

Jessica Bowie allegedly mused about posing as a food delivery driver to plant a bomb and kill senators before fleeing to Syria

US authorities charged a woman who allegedly supported the Islamic State group with a terrorism offence on Thursday after she told an FBI informant she “wanted to destroy” the New York State Capitol building, court filings showed.

Located in Albany near the Canadian border, the New York State Capitol is the nerve centre of the state government and contains both houses of the state’s legislature.

Jessica Bowie, 35, was charged with attempting to provide material support to designated “foreign terrorist organisations” according to court filings.

The woman had allegedly converted to Islam and become a vocal online supporter of the Islamic State group, posting anti-American messages online, including support for the September 11 attackers.

She is alleged to have told an FBI informant of her support for the proscribed group and sought guidance on how to manufacture explosives, the criminal complaint shows.

Bowie told the informant that she would “make it a point to have picnics by the capital to observe” and learn about security measures, the complaint alleges.