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Terror Plot Foiled in Queens
Two Queens residents have been charged with conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction in a shocking terror plot that threatens the safety of New York City.
Noelle Velentzas, 27, and Asia Siddiqui, 29, were arrested on charges of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against persons or property in the United States, U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch announced today.
The defendants’ alleged plot to construct an explosive device for use in a terrorist attack on American soil began in August 2014, according to court documents. Velentzas and Siddiqui researched numerous explosive precursors, including components for a car bomb, fertilizer bomb, and pressure cooker bomb.
In a disturbing revelation, investigators found that the defendants possessed propane gas tanks and instructions from an online jihadist publication for transforming propane tanks into explosive devices.
U.S. Attorney Lynch vowed to hold accountable anyone who would seek to terrorize the American people, saying, ‘We remain firm in our resolve to hold accountable anyone who would seek to terrorize the American people, whether by traveling abroad to commit attacks overseas or by plotting here at home.’
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the NYPD Intelligence Division assisted in the investigation, which highlights the ongoing threat of homegrown violent extremism in the United States.
The defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court in the Eastern District of New York today, where they will face charges related to their alleged terror plot.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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