ALBANY, NY — Federal authorities say a woman arrested last week sought help from ISIS as part of an alleged plot to attack the New York State Capitol, raising new questions about her background and what led up to the case.
Jessica Bowie was arrested on Aug. 19, after law enforcement said she sought assistance from ISIS for the plot. When the FBI announced her arrest on Aug. 20, officials said Bowie converted to Islam about five years ago and that it was only in the past four to six months that her radical messages of hate turned into threats against Americans.
A source close to Bowie, who asked to remain anonymous, said she has a number of mental illnesses that qualified her for disability checks. The source said the only condition they knew of for sure was Tourette syndrome and said Bowie has a history of self-harm.
The source, who said they have known Bowie for more than 15 years but have not had contact with her in about four years, said Bowie was a Christian before converting to Islam. The source said she was not known to attend church services often but described her as having very traditional Christian morals, including that she was pro-life, and said she never indicated she wanted to convert to another religion.
The source also said they encouraged Bowie to seek outside help for her mental health, but she refused. The source said her mental state at the time was not nearly as concerning as it eventually became.
U.S. Attorney John Sarcone said the allegations are serious and strike at the heart of government.
“The allegations in this complaint are deeply disturbing that someone would harbor such hatred toward our way of life and seek to target the New York State Capitol and New York State Senators,” Sarcone said. “That’s an attack on democracy itself and one we will not tolerate.”
Sarcone added, “We are vigilant, we are prepared, and just as we stop this defendant, we will continue to disrupt plots and protect the American people.”
The anonymous source said Bowie has two children with two different fathers. Their exact ages were not confirmed, but the source said Bowie’s mother, Christine Bowie, who lives in Albany, often helps take care of them.
Attempts to contact Christine Bowie and Bowie’s half-brother, Ron, were unsuccessful.
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