3 men arrested in alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting NYC

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3 men arrested in alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting New York City

Three men have been arrested in three different countries after they allegedly plotted to "create the next 9/11," federal prosecutors revealed today after unsealing a case first brought more than a year ago.

The alleged plot was to have been carried out in the summer of 2016. Court records said the planned attacks included detonating bombs in Times Square and in the New York City subway system, and shooting civilians at concert venues. The alleged plot was described as more aspirational than operational.

According to court documents, Abdulrahman el Bahnasawy, a 19-year-old Canadian citizen, allegedly purchased bomb-making materials to use in attacks in New York City. He was arrested in May 2016 in New Jersey, where he had rented a cabin within driving distance of New York City, according to court documents.

El Bahnasawy had allegedly traveled to New Jersey from Canada, he allegedly purchased bomb-making materials -- including 40 pounds of hydrogen peroxide -- that he shipped to an undercover FBI agent to whom he allegedly expressed an intention of carrying out Paris- and Brussels-like terror attacks in New York City, court documents state.

El Bahnasawy was allegedly quoted as telling the undercover FBI agent he aspired to "create the next 9/11" and expressed desire to "shoot up concerts [because] they kill a lot of people," but no specific venues were mentioned, according to court documents.

"We just walk in with guns in our hands. That's how the Paris guys did it," el Bahnasawy allegedly said when describing the plan, court documents state, referencing the November 2015 attacks in Paris, which included an attack at a concert at the Bataclan theater.

Two alleged accomplices, Tahla Haroon, 19-year-old U.S. citizen living in Pakistan, and Russell Salic, a 37-year-old Philippine citizen, were arrested as well, in September 2016 and April of this year, respectively, according to court documents.

Haroon was in Pakistan and allegedly wanted to fly into New York to help with the attack, court documents state. The pair allegedly boasted about having "a good plan for subways" and marked up an MTA subway map. They also allegedly discussed with undercover FBI agents plans to detonate a car in Times Square.

The planned attacks included detonating bombs in Times Square and the New York City subway system and shooting civilians at specific concert venues.

Law enforcement – the FBI and the NYPD – successfully thwarted this terrorist plot. An undercover FBI agent (the UC) convinced the defendants that the UC was an ISIS supporter prepared to carry out the attacks with them.

El Bahnasawy, who has been in custody since he was arrested by the FBI in May 2016, pleaded guilty to terrorism offenses and is awaiting sentencing.

Haroon and Salic have been arrested in foreign countries by foreign authorities in connection with these charges and it is the hope and expectation of this Office and U.S. law enforcement that they will be extradited to the United States to face justice in a United States court.