FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. ( DC News Now ) — A George Mason University (GMU) student was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday and accused of planning a “mass casualty attack” against Israel’s general consulate in New York City.
Court documents stated that 18-year-old Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan is an Egyptian national who has been living in Falls Church, Va. He’s a freshman majoring in information technology at GMU, Vice President and Chief Brand Officer Paul Alvin confirmed with DC News Now.
His arrest comes after the FBI first received a tip about Hassan in May after his X account was flagged for engaging in “radical and terrorist-leaning behavior.” He reportedly made posts about the guarantees of paradise for martyrs and called Osama bin Laden his “idol.”
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He had multiple X accounts that promoted violence against Jews, according to court documents.
In August, court documents said Hassan began planning a “mass casualty attack at the Consulate General of Israel” in New York City.