Two New Jersey men arrested at JFK airport before boarding plane to join terror group

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) -- Two New Jersey men, who were intent on killing American troops overseas, were arrested on late Saturday as they were about to board two separate flights, the New Jersey Star Ledger and Fox News reported on early Sunday.

Mohamed Hamoud Alessa, 20, of North Bergen, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, 26, of Elmwood Park were arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport before they boarded two separate flights to Egypt, where they were set to start journeys to Somalia in order to join the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab, according to reports.

Officials confirmed the arrests, but provided few details. "The arrests do not relate to any known immediate threat to the public or active plot against the United States," said Rebekah Carmichael, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Newark.

Fox News, citing an unidentified source, reported that Alessa is a U.S. citizen, while Almonte is a Jordanian citizen with dual U.S. citizenship. They had been under surveillance since 2006 because of unspecified Internet activity.

The investigation, led by the New York City Police Department, was ultimately dubbed "Operation Arabian Knight."

Shortly after the arrests at JFK airport, the Elmwood Park and North Bergen homes of the suspects were raided by federal authorities.

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