On Thursday, FBI agents arrested a 19-year-old man who was exchanging texts with an undercover agent, sharing his alleged plans to execute an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack, authorities said.
ABC News has identified the suspect as Awais Chudhary, a U.S. citizen born in Pakistan. They also reported that he lives on Butler Street in East Elmhurst and investigators searched his home.
Chudhary’s plan was to “perpetrate a knife attack” in Queens, according to NBC. Additionally, the suspect allegedly shared his attack plan to an online chatroom.
During the exchanged texts, the suspect allegedly ordered a knife from the undercover agent. When the suspect went to pick up the blade at a Flushing shopping center, he was arrested by law enforcement.
Besides a knife attack, Chudhary allegedly told the undercover agent that he was open to other forms of violence, according to ABC.
ABC reported that the FBI searched and found his phone, which had videos of Flushing Bay Promenade and the World’s Fair Marina on it. Both locations were in walking distance of the suspect’s home.
Outlets are reporting that Chudhary was not an imminent threat to the public. His plans were aspirational and operational, according to ABC.
The U.S. Attorney’s offices told outlets that the 19-year-old was arrested as part of “national security investigation.”
NBC also reported that the FBI and FBI joint terrorism task force has been following the suspect since the start of his plot.
Outlets have reported that he will be arraigned in Brooklyn’s Federal court, sometime Friday.
