A truck driver who became an American citizen three years ago has admitted his involvement in an al-Qaeda terrorist plot to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
Kashmiri-born Iyman Faris was ordered by leaders of the terrorist network to get hold of equipment to cut the cables of the bridge, according to documents unsealed in Washington yesterday.
Faris, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty to two criminal charges of providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy to provide support.
According to his affidavit, Faris attended a series of meetings with senior al-Qaeda figures between 2000 and 2002 in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He researched the bridge on the internet and travelled to New York late last year to examine it, concluding that the plot to sever the cables was unlikely to succeed because of the structure and heavy security.
Faris (34) sent a message to al-Qaeda leaders saying: ”The weather is too hot.”
He was also told to obtain tools that could be used to derail trains. In coded messages, the tools were referred to as ”mechanics shops”.
The US attorney general John Ashcroft said: ”This case highlights the very real threats that still exist here.”
Faris could face 20 years in prison and a $500 000 fine. – Guardian Unlimited Â