Authorities announced Friday that the FBI had disrupted a plan by foreign terrorists to attack New York City tunnels. FBI agents were able to discover the plan by monitoring chat rooms used by terrorists who had allegedly planned to disrupt New York City's economy by blowing up tunnels that connect New York to New Jersey.
Police in Lebanon acted on a U.S. request and arrested one suspect identified as Amir Andalousli. The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected.
Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), said, 'This is one instance where intelligence was on top of its game and discovered the plot when it was just in the talking phase.'
The details of the planned attack were first published in the 'New York Daily News' on Friday. It was not clear how far the planning for the attack had progressed.
'At this time we have no indication of any imminent threat to the New York transportation system, or anywhere else in the U.S.,' Richard Kolko, Washington-based FBI special agent, said in a statement to Associated Press Radio.
Representative Peter King (R-NY), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said that the plan had been monitored by federal authorities for at least eight months.
'At this time we have no indication of any imminent threat to the New York transportation system, or anywhere else in the U.S.,' Richard Kolko, Washington-based FBI special agent, said in a statement to Associated Press Radio.
According to the story in the 'Daily News,' the plot centered on the Holland Tunnel, the southernmost underground connection between New York City and New Jersey. The terrorists had hoped to flood New York City's financial district as a result of the attack.
Additional details are expected to become available as the investigation concludes and additional suspects are taken into custody.
