Pakistan born Muslim US citizen Farooque Ahmed charged with conspiring to bomb train stations in US

 Ahmed, 34, and an associate wanted to wage “jihad” and kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and were seeking terror contacts in January⁶ when FBI was tipped off by a contact in the Muslim community.¹ A sting operation was then launched with FIB agents posing as al-Qaeda terrorists,⁶ asking Ahmed to carry out surveillance of Arlington Cemetery, Pentagon City, Crystal City and Court House train stations,⁷ used heavily by military and civilians working for the Pentagon, for bombings in 2011.⁶ He complied and handed over videos,⁶ images⁴ and sketches of the targets, and suggest when and where to place explosives to cause maximum casualties.⁶ He even recommended putting explosives in wheeled suitcases instead of backpacks and offered a $10,000 donation.⁶

As preparation for jihad overseas, Ahmed had trained himself in martial arts, use of firearms, knife and gun tactics.⁶ He had planned to participate in next month's Hajj to complete all five pillars of Islam before waging jihad in which he was willing to die a martyr.⁶

Ahmed was born in Lahore, Pakistan, and came to the US in 1993, becoming a citizen in 2005.³ He has a computer science degree and works in telecommunications.⁶ He and his wife Sahar Mirza, who is from Birmingham in Britain, have a young son.⁵ The family wears traditional Muslim clothing,² with Mirza always wearing full hijab.⁵ Mirza is a co-organiser of a self help group for Muslims called Hip Muslim Mums, which she describes as "today's mom's nurturing tomorrow's ummah".⁵

 The identity of Ahmed's associate has not been made known by authorities.⁶

Source: 1. AP, 2. AP, 3. AP, 4. U. S. Department of Justice, 5. The Telegraph, 6. The Washington Post, 7. The Washington Post