Queens teen accused in ISIS terror plot

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - A 19-year-old from East Elmhurst was arrested by FBI agents for allegedly planning a terrorist attack with a knife in Queens.

In a criminal complaint against Awais Chudhary, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan, authorities say that he communicated to undercover law enforcement officers through text messaging that he planned to conduct a stabbing or bombing attack on behalf of ISIS and that he also wanted to record his attack to inspire others to commit similar acts of violence.

Chudhary allegedly ordered a tactical knife, a mask, gloves, and a cellphone chest and head strap to facilitate his recording of the attack between August 25 and 26 and was arrested as he attempted to retrieve the items from an online vendor’s retail location in Queens.

Agents also stormed his home on Butler Street as part of their investigation Thursday night.

“There’s no doubt Chudhary allegedly wanted to make headlines by attacking innocent people going about their daily lives.  Thanks to the diligent work of the agents, analysts, and detectives on the FBI New York JTTF, the only thing to report today is his arrest, and the only photos Chudhary will be featured in are the ones taken in our prisoner processing room prior to his arrival in federal prison,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. 

“Awais Chudhary had accepted the call from ISIS to kill fellow New Yorkers in the city he called home,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill.  “He had carefully planned, conducted reconnaissance, picked a target, and was in the process of obtaining the weapon. All he has left to do was to strike.  The FBI agents and NYPD detectives of the JTTF should be commended for the disruption of this plot. Their work almost certainly saved lives.”

Chudhary was ordered held without bail.