New York City police and the FBI raided at least one home in the borough of Queens early on Monday as part of an investigation into suspected terrorism, focusing on one man who has been under surveillance, officials said.Members of U.S. Congress briefed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation said there was no imminent danger. "There was nothing imminent, and they are very good now at tracking potentially dangerous actions and this was preventive," said Charles Schumer, a U.S. Senator from New York who was among those briefed by FBI officials.
The New York Times, citing an unnamed senior law enforcement official, said authorities had uncovered a small group of people who espoused a militant ideology aligned with al Qaeda. Neither a specific plot nor a target of any planned attack had been detected, but their activities had aroused enough suspicion to obtain search warrants, the Times said.
Schumer told reporters the rumors indicated the terrorist threat was related to an upcoming appearance in New York by President Barack Obama but authorities learned that this was not true.
Peter King, a Republican congressman from New York who was also briefed on the case, told ABC News: "He was being watched and concern grew as he met with a group of individuals in Queens over the weekend.
"The FBI went to court late last night for an emergency warrant to conduct the raids this morning," ABC quoted King as saying.
NYPD and FBI officials provided few details, calling it part of an ongoing investigation of the joint terrorism task force. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly declined to say more, telling reporters only that it was part of an ongoing investigation and "normal procedure." A congressional aide said members of the Senate Homeland and Governmental Affairs Committee were given a classified briefing on the raid.