6 held on terror conspiracy charges in N.J.
Group allegedly plotted to attack Fort Dix military base, WNBC reports
NBC, MSNBC and news services
Updated: 25 minutes ago
NEW YORK - Six men were arrested overnight on terror conspiracy charges in New Jersey, WNBC reported on Tuesday.

Investigators said the men wanted to use AK-47s to storm the Fort Dix military base. The arrests were first reported by WNBC's Jonathan Dienst. WNBC is the flagship NBC television station for the New York tri-state area.

Investigators told the station that the group discussed a number of possible targets, including the the Dover Air base, Fort Monmouth and Coast Guard stations, but that they concluded the best target was Fort Dix.

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Fort Dix, which is run in part by the U.S. Army, is an reserve training center but active units also take part in training at the base, some of which is focused on counter-terrorism.

Federal law enforcement officials confirmed the arrests, saying that the six were planning to get automatic weapons to shoot at U.S. service members. Investigators told NBC’s Pete Williams that the plot was in the planning stages but was not imminent.


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WNBC's full report on the plot


Acting on a tip, and with the help of an informant, the men were placed under surveillance. Investigators say some of the group's members -- all men and all believed to be Islamic radicals -- went to the Poconos over the past several months to practice firing guns. Some of the men were born overseas, in Albania and the former Yugoslavia.

Intelligence officials told NBC News' Robert Windrem that they do not believe the plot was directed by al-Qaida because it did not match the key al-Qaida tenet: spectacular multiple simultaneous attacks.

However, the idea that the men were using al-Qaida training films and following al-Qaida goals shows that there is a large number of people who can create such plots inspired by the terrorist organization, the officials said.

The FBI and the US attorney plan a news conference later Tuesday to discuss the investigation.

NBC News' Pete Williams and Robert Windrem contributed to this report.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18549005/