Six Russian nationals with links to Isis have been arrested in New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia after “planning Boston marathon bombing-like attack”.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers said that six people, all hailing from Tajikistan, have all been arrested as part of a huge sting operation.
The agency was contacted by the FBI, who worked with cops from the three cities to uncover the plot.
Two ICE sources told the New York Post that they arrested the Russians over fears of an attack similar to the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
The investigation used a wiretap which revealed one of the individuals talking about bombs.
One of the ICE insiders said: “Remember the Boston Marathon [bombing]? I’m afraid something like that might happen again or worse.”
The man who had been wiretapped was previously released by federal authorities at America's southern border - with a court date set for 2025.
In a joint statement, the Department of Homeland Security and FBI told the publication: “Over the last few days, ICE agents arrested several non-citizens pursuant to immigration authorities.
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“The actions were carried out in close coordination with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces.
“The individuals arrested are detained in ICE custody pending removal proceedings … The FBI and DHS will continue working around the clock with our partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt potential threats to national security. ”
The arrests come after top law enforcement officials warned of the threat of an imminent terrorist attack in the US.
FBI Director Chris Wray cautioned lawmakers that a “coordinated attack” could take place in the US following an Isis attack on a concert hall in Moscow, which killed 145 people after terrorists stormed the building with machine guns.
“Our most immediate concern has been that individuals or small groups will draw twisted inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks here at home,” Wray told a House Appropriations subcommittee.
“But now, increasingly concerning is the potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, akin to the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia concert hall a couple weeks ago.”
He said that since October 7, “the threat from foreign terrorists has risen to a whole other level”.
“We have seen a rouges' gallery of foreign terrorist organisations call for attacks against Americans and our allies,' Wray said.
“Just in the time I have been FBI director we have disrupted multiple terror attacks around US cities.
“I would be hard pressed to think of a time when so many different threats to our public safety and national security were so elevated all at the same time.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland agreed that October 7 was a turning point, and said that the possibility of an attack as risen “enormously” in recent months.
“I am worried about the possibility of a terrorist attack in the country after October 7,” Garland said during a House Judiciary Committee earlier this month.
“The threat level for us has gone up enormously.”
“Every morning, we worry about this question. We try to track anyone who might be trying to hurt the country,' he continued. 'Of course, this is a major priority for the Justice Department.”
