A criminal complaint filed today in federal court in
Brooklyn charged Awais Chudhary, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan,
with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and
al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Chudhary was arrested yesterday, and made his
initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James
Orenstein. Chudhary was ordered held
without bail.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of New York, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National
Security, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau
of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill,
Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest.
“As alleged, Awais
Chudhary planned to kill innocent civilians on behalf of ISIS and record the
bloodshed in the hope of inspiring others to commit attacks,” stated United
States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office,
together with the FBI, the NYPD and all members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task
Force will continue working tirelessly to identify ISIS sympathizers like the
defendant and prevent them from carrying out their murderous intentions.”
“The defendant allegedly planned to conduct a deadly attack
in New York on behalf of ISIS,” stated Assistant Attorney General Demers. “The National Security Division, working with
our partners, will remain vigilant in our efforts to identify, disrupt and hold
accountable those who would conduct a terrorist attack on our soil. I want to thank the agents, analysts and
prosecutors who are responsible for this case and prevented this defendant from
carrying out his deadly plans.”
“There’s no doubt Chudhary allegedly wanted to make
headlines by attacking innocent people going about their daily lives. Thanks to the diligent work of the agents,
analysts, and detectives on the FBI New York JTTF, the only thing to report today
is his arrest, and the only photos Chudhary will be featured in are the ones
taken in our prisoner processing room prior to his arrival in federal prison,”
stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“Awais Chudhary had accepted the call from ISIS to kill
fellow New Yorkers in the city he called home,” stated NYPD Commissioner
O’Neill. “He had carefully planned,
conducted reconnaissance, picked a target, and was in the process of obtaining
the weapon. All he has left to do was to strike. The FBI agents and NYPD detectives of the
JTTF should be commended for the disruption of this plot. Their work almost
certainly saved lives.”
As alleged in the
complaint, in August 2019, Chudhary communicated to undercover law enforcement
officers through text messaging that he planned to conduct a stabbing or
bombing attack on behalf of ISIS.
Chudhary also wanted to record his attack to inspire others to commit
similar acts of violence. Chudhary
identified the pedestrian bridges over the Grand Central Parkway to the
Flushing Bay Promenade (the Promenade) and the area of the World’s Fair Marina
(the Marina) as locations for the attack.
On August 23, 2019, Chudhary told an undercover agent that he intended
to use a knife “because that’s what he knows,” but if the undercover agent
could instruct him on how to build a bomb, he would consider using an explosive
device at a “mini-bridge over a busy road with many cars.” On the same day, Chudhary texted another
undercover agent a screenshot of a document entitled “Islamic State,” with the
subheadings: “Places to Strike,” “The Ideal Knife” and “Knives to Avoid.” The instructions included a diagram of the
human body with directions where to stab a victim. Chudhary also sent the undercover agent
videos of pedestrian bridges over the Grand Central Parkway, and stated that he
was considering throwing explosives over the fencing at vehicles passing below.
Chudhary conducted multiple reconnaissance trips to the
targeted locations. On August 24, 2019,
FBI agents surveilled Chudhary enter the Promenade in the vicinity of 27th
Avenue and Ditmars Boulevard and take videos and photos with his cellphone of
various locations, as well as the Marina, a nearby gas station, a donut shop
and a security camera near the donut shop.
Between August 25 and August 26, 2019, Chudhary ordered
online a tactical knife, a mask, gloves and a cellphone chest and head strap to
facilitate his recording of the attack.
Chudhary was arrested yesterday as he attempted to retrieve the items
from an online vendor’s retail location in Queens.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the
defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chudhary faces a maximum
sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National
Security and Cybercrime Section.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Algor and Special Assistant
United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Hanft are in charge of the prosecution,
with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the National Security
Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
AWAIS CHUDHARY
Age: 19
Queens, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-MJ-778
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