Bangladeshi Arrested In Terror Plot Against New York Times Square

New York: For the second time, a Bangladeshi has been arrested in connection with a terrorist plot against Times Square, New York city’s popular tourist area crowded with thousands of visitors. An admirer of slain Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, 22-year-old Ashiqul Alam was arrested after he received two semi-automatic pistols from an undercover law enforcement officer with whom he had discussed carrying out terror attacks, officials announced on Friday.

Another Bangladeshi had tried to bomb a Times Square underground metro station in 2017, but the bomb did not explode properly. Akayed Ullah received severe burn injuries in the failed attack and was arrested and convicted on terrorism charges. Alam, who was arrested on Thursday, was produced in a federal court in the city on Friday and charged with illegally buying the two guns, with their serial numbers erased. A judge ordered him held in custody without bail.

According to the complaint, Alam made contact with the undercover agents who he thought were jihadi sympathisers and made his plans. Police Commissioner James O’Neill said: “Alam discussed guns, suicide vests, hand grenades, and surveilled crowded New York targets such as Times Square.” Alam had also discussed carrying out an attack in Washington to kill “a government official”, whom the complaint did not identify. Alam wanted to kill law enforcement officials and wanted to get grenades that could “take out at least eight people”, the complaint said. (IANS)

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