Suspected terrorist arrested in Los Angeles
Eight people possibly linked to ISIS were caught in the United States, one of the suspects got arrested in Los Angeles.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in coordination with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, has arrested eight nationals from Tajikistan with suspected ties to ISIS. The arrests took place in New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia in recent days, according to a federal source familiar with the matter.
Of those arrested, only one was arrested in LA, sources confirmed to FOX 11.
The source, who spoke to FOX News on condition of anonymity, stated that all eight individuals had crossed the southern border into the United States illegally. Upon entry, they underwent what was described as “full vetting” and no initial derogatory information was found that would have raised flags.
However, potential national security concerns surfaced after their release into the U.S. The source did not provide details on when or where the individuals crossed the border.
8 suspected terrorists illegally crossed border
Eight alleged terrorists with ties to ISIS were arrested in Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia after allegedly crossing the border illegally. Intelligence expert Hal Kempfer breaks down the situation.
The detained individuals are currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and an active federal investigation.
This development was initially reported by Jennie Taer of the New York Post, who noted that at least one of the individuals was recorded on an FBI wiretap discussing bombs.
“Remember the Boston marathon [bombing]? I’m afraid something like that might happen again or worse,” one of the sources told The Post.
FILE PHOTO- Eight Tajikistan nationals with ties to ISIS were busted by ICE and the FBI in New York City, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, a federal source confirmed to Fox. (Photo by Kurt Miller/The Riverside Press-Enterprise via Getty Images)
In a joint statement to FOX 11, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the arrests, stating, “Over the last few days, ICE agents arrested several non-citizens pursuant to immigration authorities. The actions were carried out in close coordination with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces. The individuals arrested are detained in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. As the FBI and DHS have recently described in public and partner bulletins, the U.S. has been in a heightened threat environment. The FBI and DHS will continue working around the clock with our partners to identify, investigate, and disrupt potential threats to national security.”
Further details on the nature of the suspected ties to ISIS or the specific activities of the individuals remain undisclosed as the investigation is ongoing.