US officials say they have disrupted a "terrorist cell" on American soil, arresting five US citizens who attended an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan before the September 11th attacks.
"In the past 24 hours, federal authorities have arrested five United States citizens who reside near Buffalo, New York, on charges of providing material support to al Qaeda," Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson said.
"United States law enforcement has identified, investigated and disrupted an al Qaeda-trained terrorist cell on American soil," he told a news conference in announcing the arrests and charges.
He said the defendants, US citizens of Yemeni descent, received training in the use of assault rifles, handguns and other weapons while attending the camp in June 2001. All left the camp before the September 11th attacks on the United States.
Officials said they had no information that the defendants may have been plotting specific terror attacks in upstate New York or elsewhere in the United States.
"We have not seen any plans of an imminent attack," FBI Director Robert Mueller said. "We do not fully know the intentions of those charged today, and our investigation continues."
The charges of providing, attempting to provide and conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist group carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.