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Opposing groups protest in support of Palestine and Israel near the Israeli consulate on October 8, 2023 in New York City. by Adam Gray/Getty Images

A freshman student, enrolled at George Mason University, was detained by the FBI for alleged plotting to commit a terrorist attack on the Israeli consulate in New York City.

The Egyptian student, Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan, had instructed an undercover FBI informant to commit the attack.

According to the criminal complaint reported by The Times of Israel, he gave the informant step-by-step bomb-making instructions as well as advice on escaping to ISIS territory after committing the attack.

Hassan further encouraged the informant, pretending to be interested in joining ISIS, to produce a "martyrdom video" and livestream the attack. Hassan ran several social media accounts calling for extremist ideologies, such as support for ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Hamas.

After being informed about one of these accounts, the local authorities notified the FBI. The FBI established communication with Hassan through an informant on social media and messaging applications that led to discussions in which Hassan provided jihadist propaganda and discussed several attack strategies.

He recommended attacking Jewish facilities and eventually settled on the Israeli consulate, where he advised on surveillance and armament preparation.

How a Freshman Student Wants to Attack an Israeli Consulate in NY

The complaint disclosed that Hassan directed the informant to make the bomb more lethal by adding aluminum ball bearings as shrapnel. NY Post revealed that he also suggested using an assault rifle as a substitute weapon and made it clear that he wanted the attack to be broadcast live to maximize its effect.

On December 17, the freshman student was arrested and charged with offenses related to the distribution of information about explosives and weapons of mass destruction.

In response, the Israeli Consul-General Ofir Akunis sent their thanks to US security services for thwarting the attack. Akunis described it as a seriously damaging blow to Israel's sovereignty, especially if it ended up being successful, and a reminder of the struggle against terrorism worldwide.

To date, the US Justice Department has not commented on the case.