FBI Arrests Two Terror Suspects At JFK (UPDATED)

In news that doesn’t involve the catastrophic destruction of the nation’s Gulf Coast, last night the FBI arrested two men with terrorist ties at JFK airport who were trying to board a plane. According to Fox News, who broke the story just after midnight, the two were trying to board separate planes “in an alleged terrorism plot tied to a radical Islamic group based in Somalia.”

Mohamed Hamoud Alessa, 20, of North Bergen, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, 26, of Elmwood Park were charged with conspiracy to commit international terrorism and were picked up by the FBI before boarding flights to join the Somali Al Qaeda affiliate Al Shabaab, officials said. Both men are believed to be American citizens.

The two men were arrested following a years-long investigation and were charged with conspiring to commit an act of international terrorism through a group tied to Usama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network.

There are no details yet on what the plot involved exactly, but important to note that if both men turn out to be American citizens as is believed, and as was the case with the Times Sq. bomber Faisal Shahzad, expect the conversation to return to immigration (if they are naturalized) and/or a readdressing of rights afforded to citizens in cases of terrorism. Watch the report below. UPDATE: NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly holds press conference on the arrests, video below.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!