Times Square terror suspect wanted to lob grenades at cops and civilians: sources

The 22-year-old man arrested for plotting to hurl grenades at visitors to Times Square also wanted to buy defaced firearms and ammo so he could shoot both civilians and police officers, sources said Friday.

Ashiqul Alam, of Jackson Heights, Queens also wanted to buy grenades that he could lob into crowds at one of the city’s biggest tourist destination, sources said.

Alam was arrested Thursday after investigators caught wind of his plans. He was nabbed following a sting operation in which an undercover officer pretended to sell him the hardware he needed for his bloody campaign.

He was waiting to be arraigned Friday afternoon, officials said.

Investigators described Alam as a lone wolf, and do not believe he was part of a larger plot, sources said.

NBC reported that Alam had first spoken about using a suicide bomb vest so he could blow up politicians in New York and Washington D.C., but he eventually focused on Times Square, which has been the target of a number of terror threats in recent years.

Moar:

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-times-square-terror-suspect-queens-resident-20190607-tfu7n53jbrbn3mpixysrsbwmam-story.html