By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
An undercover FBI agent foiled terrorist attacks in New York City that would have targeted concert venues, Times Square and subway stations, according to court records and testimony.
The plots were made public by a federal court after three men were accused of launching terrorist attacks in New York City, the Guardian reports.
An undercover FBI agent posing as an Islamist extremists is credited with thwarting the attacks.
Criminal complaints allege 19-year-old Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy told the agent that “these Americans need an attack” and that he wanted to “create the next 9/11.”
The Guardian wrote:
The other men are Talha Haroon, who was arrested in Pakistan, and Russell Salic, who was arrested in the Philippines, where he is a citizen. Both are awaiting extradition to the US.
Haroon, who was introduced to the agent by Bahnasawy, was planning to travel to the US to allegedly help him with the attacks.
In messages, he told the agent that the subway was a perfect target; that they should shoot as many passengers on the train as possible, including women and children; and that “when we run out of bullets we let the vests go off”.
Salic, who is a doctor and is accused of sending money to help fund the planned attacks, was also arrested in the Philippines for his alleged involvement in kidnappings and beheadings blamed on pro-Isis militants, a Philippine official said.
