ISIS-inspired terror attack thwarted in New York as 'suspects plotted to strike Times Square, concerts and subways'
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New York authorities say they have thwarted an ISIS-inspired terror plot to strike landmarks, subways and concerts.
The plot was disrupted with the arrest of three men, including a Canadian who allegedly spoke about wanting to bomb Times Square and shoot concertgoers.
It was claimed that one of the suspects also spoke of wanting to shoot subway passengers before setting off suicide vests to kill or injure as many people as possible.
The Canadian man allegedly told an undercover agent he wanted to “create the next 9/11", adding: "We just need guns in our hands. That's how the Paris guys did it."
The undercover agent convinced the suspects that he was an ISIS supporter prepared to carry out the attacks with them, say prosecutors.
(Image: Photonica World)
But sources told NBC New York that the plot to target sites during Ramadan in 2016 was more aspirational than operational.
The suspects arrested on terror charges are Canadian citizen Abdulrahman el Bahnasawy, 19, Talha Haroon, 19, a US citizen living in Pakistan, and Russell Salic, a 37-year-old Philippines citizen.
Prosecutors said el Bahnasawy allegedly told an undercover agent that the suspects wanted to "shoot up concerts cuz they kill lots of people".
He was accused of buying bomb-making materials and securing a cabin near New York that would be used as a base and bomb-making factory.
Prosecutors said el Bahnasawy was arrested in New Jersey in May last year as he travelled to the New York area in preparation for the attacks.
(Image: Rex Features)
He has pleaded guilty to terrorism offences and is awaiting sentencing.
Haroon allegedly made plans to travel from Pakistan to New York, and travelled within Pakistan to meet with explosives experts.
Salic is accused of wiring money from the Philippines to the US to fund the terror plot.
Both have been arrested and attempts to extradite them to face charges in the US are under way.
Prosecutors claim the suspects had pledged allegiance to ISIS and wanted to carry out attacks similar to those in Brussels and Paris.
The FBI and NYPD discovered and interrupted the plot months ago, but details are just emerging today.
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It wasn't announced earlier because there was a hunt for potential accomplices or terror links, NBC News reported.
Haroon was arrested in September last year and Salic was arrested in April this year.
In May, a suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured dozens more at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
The terrorist blew himself up in a foyer as fans left the gig and mums and dads waited to pick up their children.
In the years since the 9/11 terror attacks, authorities in New York have foiled a number of plots to attack landmarks including Times Square.
Terrorist Faisal Shahzad, then 31, was sentenced to life prison after he left a Nissan Pathfinder packed with explosives in Times Square in May 2010.
Street vendors alerted police after they saw smoke coming from the car.