Authorities in the United States have disrupted an alleged multi-state plot targeting a synagogue in Houston, Texas, after law enforcement received a tip that led to swift intervention by federal and local agencies.
According to court documents and investigators, 18-year-old Angelina Han Hicks of Lexington, North Carolina, and a 16-year-old in Texas were arrested in connection with what officials describe as a conspiracy to carry out a violent attack on Congregation Beth Israel, the oldest synagogue in Texas.
Hicks is accused of working with two unidentified co-conspirators in a plan that allegedly involved driving a vehicle into the synagogue in an attempt to “kill as many Jews as possible,” according to court filings cited by investigators.
Authorities say the FBI’s Charlotte Joint Terrorism Task Force launched an investigation after receiving a tip from a North Carolina law enforcement agency, prompting coordinated action across multiple states. The Houston Police Department and other agencies were later involved in preventing what officials described as a potential mass casualty event.
Hicks was arrested and is being held on a $10 million bond, facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder and assault with a deadly weapon. The juvenile suspect in Texas has also been charged with conspiracy to commit capital murder.
Court records show that Hicks allegedly planned the attack for April 21, 2028, though prosecutors say there were concerns the threat could have been more immediate.
District Court Judge Carlton Terry, in justifying Hicks’ detention, wrote that the alleged plan was intended “to kill as many Jews as possible by driving through a congregation at a synagogue.”
He added that releasing her could allow communication with other suspects, stating, “Allowing a co-conspirator a chance to communicate with either of those individuals or those who could relay a message puts lives at risk.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to search for additional suspects identified only by their first names in court documents.
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