CHICAGO, Illinois, August 21, 2026 — Federal prosecutors charged an Albany woman Thursday in connection with a plot to carry out a New York State Capitol building attack inspired by ISIS. Alison Cuddy, 35, who is said to have plotted to blow up a bomb and murder state senators. She was arrested Wednesday by FBI agents after the undercover operation.
How the Plot Unfolded
A criminal complaint states that Bowie had made pledges to ISIS in messages over the internet starting in May. Since July, she communicated over an encrypted platform with an FBI informant posing as an ISIS facilitator. Authorities say she surveilled the Capitol building five times, on video.
“Bowie wrote that he wanted to damage as much of the building as possible and kill senators during a meeting. According to the complaint, she was also reported as saying that she hoped the attack would “have an impact on the American system.” She was allegedly quoted saying she would prefer to target the White House but thought it was ‘harder’ to hit
In a period of the investigation, Bowie is said to have met three different undercover FBI informants. She had supposedly gone into depth for a duration of about two weeks via encrypted communication. Before her arrest, court documents indicated she had studied sentencing guidelines for material support charges.
The Sting Operation
At a hardware store in Rensselaer, FBI operatives unknowingly provided Bowie with $200 to buy bomb-making items. Investigators snapped pictures of her purchasing nails and other materials for what she thought was a working bomb. On Wednesday, she received a firearm, ammunition and an inert explosive device from undercover agents.
For instance, Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg said that Bowie, as alleged, planned to use a bomb in the New York State Capitol. They say she planned to conceal the bomb in a food delivery. She had also been a Muslim for about five years and used the name “Aisha Sarif” on social media, prosecutors said.
The Charges She Faces
The indictment against Bowie includes one count of attempted provision of material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the charge. Thursday, she appeared in court in the Northern District of New York for the first time.
Eisenberg stated, “The National Security Division and our law-enforcement partners will spare no effort in working to prevent plots like this from succeeding.” Craig Tremaroli, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s field office in Phoenix, testified that Bowie told agents she wanted to go to the Capitol and attack it directly. Charges were announced at a Thursday press conference in Albany by First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone.
A Broader Pattern
ISIS has been on the foreign terrorist organization list set by Washington for over a decade. However, federal officials say that lone-actor plots inspired by the group continue to be a persistent national domestic security threat. The Justice Department’s announcement of the charges provides full details of the case.
The case is proceeding through federal court in Albany, but no trial date has been set. Bowie has been ordered into federal custody pending proceedings. Investigators did not say if they believe more suspects were involved in the plot.
The case is being prosecuted by the Northern District of New York with assistance from the Albany FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. A timeline for pretrial hearings in the case has not been released by officials. State officials also say security surrounding the Capitol building has been bolstered since the arrest.
