A Jordanian national allegedly planned an attack against Jews in Texas

A “radical” Jordanian citizen living in Texas was allegedly planning an attack on Houston’s Jewish community before he was arrested on gun charges.

Sohaib Abuayyash, 20, had been studying how to build bombs and posted about his support for killing Jews, federal officials say.

“He has seen specific and detailed content posted by radical organizations on the Internet, including lessons on how to build bombs or explosive devices,” FBI Director Chris Wray told the Senate Homeland Security Committee, although he refuse to identify Abuayyash by name.

“And this defendant has made statements to others that support the killing of individuals of particular religious faiths.”

Abuayyash even allegedly made a direct reference in a social media post about an event in Houston for the Jewish community, according to court documents. obtained by CNN.

It did not include details about the target and time of the alleged attack.

Abuayyash is behind bars on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person on a nonimmigrant visa, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan has ruled that he should remain in custody pending of the trial

She wrote in court documents that Abuayyash talked about committing martyrdom in support of a religious cause and made statements “that he wants to go to Gaza to fight,” according to the documents as well. obtained by CBS News.

“You have seen specific and detailed content posted by radical organizations on the Internet, including lessons on how to build bombs or explosive devices,” he wrote.

An affidavit filed Oct. 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas also says Abuayyash “has been in direct contact with others who share a radical mindset, has been doing physical training, and trained with weapons to possibly commit an attack.”

The affidavit notes that federal investigators have been monitoring Abuayyash’s activities since August, when agents conducting “open source research” saw a video of him firing several firearms, including a AR style.

He also visited several different shooting ranges in Houston.

Abuayyash entered the United States on a nonimmigrant visa, which expired in 2019, but has since applied for asylum and obtained work authorization in the United States through 2025, according to court documents.

But under federal law, those with a nonimmigrant visa cannot legally obtain firearms in the United States.

Upon learning of Abuayyash’s alleged plan to target Houston’s Jewish community, the FBI made the decision to move forward with the most immediate charge available: illegal possession of firearms, a unidentified law enforcement source.

That allowed the FBI to detain Abuayyash so prosecutors could ask a federal judge to hold him without bail while they continue their investigation.

Wray cited the incident to the Senate Homeland Security Committee when he warned that Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel will inspire other attacks around the world.

“We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration, the likes of which we have not seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate years ago,” he said, adding that the war in Gaza “has raised the threat from an attack against Americans in the United States to another level.

“Here in the United States, our most immediate concern is that violent extremists (individuals or small groups) are inspired by events in the Middle East to carry out attacks against Americans going about their daily lives.

“This includes not only homegrown violent extremists inspired by a foreign terrorist organization, but also domestic violent extremists targeting Jewish or Muslim communities,” he said, although he noted that in recent weeks, foreign terrorist groups have called for attacks in America

“Al Qaeda issued its most specific call to attack the US in the last five years. Hezbollah has threatened to attack US interests in the Middle East,” and ISIS “seeks to seize this moment, galvanize the his supporters,” Wray said.

He said the FBI “does not have any information indicating that Hamas has the intent or the ability to conduct operations in the United States,” but “we cannot and do not discount that.”