Thursday, February 17 2005 12:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has claimed that it had foiled a "possible terrorist plot" to kill a Pakistani diplomat in New York by arresting a suspected al Qaeda activist and busting a terrorist network in America.

"In New York, Yassin Muhiddin Aref was arrested on money laundering charges connected to a possible terrorist plot to kill a Pakistani diplomat," Robert S Mueller, Director of the FBI, told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in Washington yesterday (Feb 16, 2005).

In 2004, the FBI learned that al Qaeda and related terrorist groups had conducted detailed surveillance of financial targets in New York, Washington DC and New Jersey.

In response to this threat, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, the threat level was raised for the cities referenced in the threat and "we mobilized a large contingent of analysts and agents to review the massive amount of information connected with the attack planning, and to uncover any additional information that would give the FBI insight into the plot," Mueller said.

Previously, in the Spring of 2004, Britain had arrested a group of terrorists who were plotting an imminent attack inside the UK. In response, the FBI immediately formed a task force of analysts and agents to determine if there was a US nexus to the plot or if any of the British subjects had links to individuals in the US.