Terror Suspects Plotted NYC Synagogue Bombing

Two men busted in a New York City terror raid plotted to bomb a Jewish synagogue and possibly the Empire State Building, officials have revealed. Ahmed Ferhani, 26, and Mohamed Mamdouh, 20, were upset that Muslims were being "treated like dogs" and purchased a hand grenade and guns from an undercover investigator, according to officials. Police began tracking Ferhani last year after he was busted on a robbery charge and was overheard saying he hated Jews and was fed up with treatment of Muslims, reports AP.

Ferhani eventually confided his plots to an undercover investigator, and "his plans became bigger and more violent with every passing week," said Manhattan's district attorney. Though the two were not part of a terrorist organization, "it was clear they intended to do that bombing on behalf of Islam and to send a message to the Jewish population," said a law enforcement spokeswoman. Attorneys for both men say their clients are innocent. Police have been on high alert for potential threats to New York since the killing of Osama bin Laden. (More Ahmed Ferhani stories.)