Man arrested in US over planned bomb plot

LAW enforcement agents have arrested a US citizen who allegedly planned to detonate a bomb somewhere in the New York metropolitan area on behalf of the Islamic State militant group.
THE man, identified as Munther Omar Saleh, 20, was arrested on June 7 after allegedly trying to attack investigators, who were following him in a vehicle, according to local media, citing an affidavit that was unsealed on Tuesday in the US District Court in New York.
Saleh, who appeared in court on Saturday, recently enrolled as an aeronautics student in a college in the New York City borough of Queens. US authorities provided no further information about the nature of the attack that Saleh was allegedly working on or whether anyone else was also arrested. But they said it underscored concern about Islamic State's ability to use social media to inspire followers within the United States. "It just highlights the continual threats and pressure we face from this home-grown radicalism," said Representative Adam Schiff, a member of the Intelligence Committee in the US House of Representatives, in an interview with CNN. State Department spokesman John Kirby told the network the idea of self-radicalisation and people identifying with IS "remains a big worry not only in the United States, but around the world". Saleh openly supported Islamic State militants' activities, including tweeting support for a failed terror attack by suspected Islamic radicals in Garland, Texas in May, according to the court document. He also offered to translate Islamic State propaganda materials into English. Saleh was motivated by the belief that al-Qaeda network was getting moderate in its tactics, according to news reports quoting the criminal complaint against him. He was "making efforts to prepare an explosive device for detonation" in New York, local broadcaster WABC reported. Investigators claim Saleh used his personal computer to search for topics such as weapons, pressure cooker and ways to elude police, according to broadcaster CBS. US law enforcement agencies have increased surveillance of suspects following the recent Islamic State inspired attempts in the United States. Police and FBI agents in the last several months have arrested three men and two women in New York for allegedly trying to assist Islamic State militants and carry out attacks. Charges against the five include attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State, an FBI statement said.