June 11, 2024
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Eight men with suspected connections to the terrorist group ISIS were arrested in Philadelphia, New York City and Los Angeles, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said.
Eight men suspected to have ties to the jihadist group ISIS were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents over the weekend during raids in Philadelphia, New York City and Los Angeles, federal authorities said Tuesday.
The eight foreign nationals from Tajikistan, a country in Central Asia, are believed to have entered the United States via the southern border during the last year. They were able to enter the country legally and did not have criminal backgrounds at the time they crossed, sources told NBC News.
Officials have not made the identities of any of the men public. The also have not provided more details about the raids — including the one that took place in Philadelphia — such as where they occurred and how many of the men were arrested at each location. No charges have been announced against anyone in custody, and they could be deported pending the decision of an immigration judge.
"Over the last few days, ICE agents arrested several non-citizens pursuant to immigration authorities," said a joint statement from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. "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."
The move to detain the eight men came after authorities monitored their activities for several months and, according to authorities, determined they may be linked to ISIS.
The FBI and DHS statement said the nation has been in a "heightened threat environment" for possible attacks by radicalized individuals and groups.
