NEW YORK, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. agents trailing suspects in a terror plot almost exposed a sting operation when the suspects apparently spotted the surveillance, court testimony shows.
The four suspects, traveling last year with a government informant from Newburgh, N.Y., to Stamford, Conn., to pick up weapons -- fake bombs and a non-working Stinger missile -- made several stops after spotting undercover vehicles, the informer, Shahed Hussain, testified in the trial of the four, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
"They said we should not go to Connecticut at all," Hussain testified.
Hussain said he finally got a moment alone and called his FBI handler.
"I said if you want me to pick up the missiles, tell the surveillance team to stay 5 miles away from me," he said.
Hussain was in his fourth day of testimony in the trial of James Cromitie, Laguerre Payen, David Williams IV and Onta Williams, charged with placing bombs near synagogues in the Riverdale section of the Bronx and plotting to fire a Stinger missile at military airplanes at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh.
The trial in U.S. District Court in New York City is in its third week.
