Two Queens women were arrested and charged today with plotting to build homemade
bombs. Officials say they were inspired by the ISIS terror group, and allege that they considered attacking police officers at the funerals for slain cops Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos.
According to a criminal complaint [pdf] Noelle Velentzas, 28, and Asia Siddiqui, 31, both of whom are U.S. citizens and were roommates in Queens, plotted to build and detonate a bomb in an undetermined location in the United States. Authorities say neither woman managed to build an explosive device, but Siddiqui allegedly had propane tanks and instructions for transforming those tanks into bombs, and both women are accused of shopping for "copper wires, paint containers with the word ‘combustible,’ small and large metal pipes, a bag of sodium chloride, and heater fluid containers," which can be used for explosives.
Velentzas, who reportedly had a picture of Osama bin Laden holding an AK-47 on her cell phone, allegedly researched building explosives, chemistry and electricity online and at local libraries. She and Siddiqui also allegedly used Al Qaeda documents to research building car bombs. Investigators say Siddiqui has been in contact with a member of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and both watched videos made and released by ISIS.
Though it's unclear what targets Velentzas and Siddiqui plotted to attack, an undercover agent who communicated with the two women believed they wanted to attack military or government targets. Velentzas allegedly told the agent she wanted to attend the funerals for slain NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos in December. "If we get arrested, the police will point their guns at us from the back and maybe from the front,” she allegedly said. “If we can get even one of their weapons, we can shoot them.”
Some critics of recent terrorism investigations have questioned the FBI's use of undercover agents and paid confidential informants, arguing that some defendants have been unwittingly persuaded to incriminate themselves.
Velentzas and Siddiqui are charged with conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction against persons or property in the United States. They face life in prison if convicted.
