US man arrested over Washington bomb plot

US police have arrested a man for trying to help al-Qaeda bomb metro stations in Washington DC.

Farooque Ahmed, 34, of Ashburn, was taken into custody early on Wednesday morning.

The US Justice Department said in a statement: "Officials emphasized that at no time was the public in danger during this investigation and that the FBI was aware of Ahmed's activities from before the alleged attempt began and closely monitored his activities until his arrest."

Earlier this month, the United States and Britain warned of an increased risk of terrorist attacks in Europe, with Washington saying al-Qaeda might target transport infrastructure.

A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment on Tuesday against Ahmed, who is a Pakistani-born US citizen.

David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said: "Farooque Ahmed is accused of plotting with individuals he believed were terrorists to bomb our transit system, but a coordinated law enforcement and intelligence effort was able to thwart his plans."

Ahmed was charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization, collecting information to assist in planning a terrorist attack on a transit facility, and attempting to provide material support to help carry out multiple bombings to cause mass casualties at stations in the US capital.