Two people were arrested in a raid on an Albany, New York mosque late Wednesday, following a sting operation involving the attempted purchase of a shoulder-fired missile, US media reported Thursday.
The pair tried to buy a shoulder-fired missile from a man who was actually an undercover FBI agent, CNN and Fox television reported, citing unidentified law enforcement officials. More arrests could follow, the sources told CNN.
The raid was not linked to the recent decision to raise the terror alert level for financial institutions in New York and Washington, CNN noted.
US officials announced Sunday that al Qaeda was targeting the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, as well as the New York Stock Exchange and other financial institutions.
In response, authorities raised the colour-coded terror alert level from yellow, or "elevated," to orange, or "high," for New York, Washington and Newark, New Jersey and boosted security around the targeted areas.