Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee, released the following statement in response to the FBI arrest of a man for attempting to assist others whom he believed to be members of al-Qaeda in planning multiple bombings at Metrorail stations in the Washington, DC, area.

“Metro riders received a fresh reminder today that there are still individuals and organizations who seek to do us harm, but our law enforcement and intelligence agencies are working around the clock to prevent and disrupt potential attacks in the United States.   I commend the FBI for taking action to stop a plot by an individual who believed he was working with a terrorist organization to plan multiple bombings and cause mass casualties at Metro stations.   I also commend the Joint Terrorism Task Force for working with its federal and state partners to prevent terrorist attacks in our region.   The Metro system is part of our critical infrastructure that allows federal employees, including many Marylanders, to travel safely to and from work on a daily basis.   I will continue to work with federal, state, and local governments to ensure that they have the tools necessary to keep Americans safe.   I encourage Metro riders to report suspicious activities to Metro employees or the police.”