Court records and announcements from U.S. Department of Justice

FBI Arrests 18-Year-Old George Mason University Student for Alleged Mass Casualty Plot Against Israeli Consulate in New York

Dec 19, 2024, 04:59 PM

The FBI has arrested Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan, an 18-year-old Egyptian national and freshman at George Mason University in Virginia, for allegedly plotting a mass casualty attack on the Israeli Consulate in New York City. Hassan, a Virginia resident currently in removal proceedings with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was charged with demonstrating how to manufacture an explosive with intent to murder internationally protected persons. He provided detailed instructions on building and planting a bomb to an undercover FBI agent, whom he encouraged to target the consulate with explosives or an assault rifle. The plot was uncovered after local police received a tip about Hassan's social media accounts promoting terrorism and supporting the Islamic State. Hassan's arrest follows a months-long investigation involving an FBI informant who engaged with him online. The FBI's swift action was praised by Israel's Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, who emphasized the need for international cooperation to combat terrorism.