After the initiation of the global war on terrorism following the September 11 attacks in 2001, several terrorist plots aimed at civilian and military targets have failed to succeed. Several Trump administration officials assert that several such terrorism plots were created by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, with agents providing plans, materials, and encouragement to the supposed "terrorists" — often mentally unstable individuals, small-time criminals, and other vulnerable targets — and then arresting them on terrorism charges.

2001 to 2009 Date Target Description Location of arrest or attempt Suspect(s) Status Incarceration (current and former) December 22, 2001 American Airlines Flight 63 A man from London was put into custody after attempting to detonate a shoe bomb. Paris to Miami Richard Reid Serving a life sentence without parole ADX Florence March 2002 Police officers and authorities David Earl Burgert Jr., a 38-year-old Ohio native, was arrested in March 2002 and charged in federal court after amassing a stockpile of weapons to arm a militia called "Project 7" that he had planned to use to overpower local law enforcement and overthrow the government. After serving eight years in a federal prison on weapons charges, Burgert Jr. was involved in an attack against Missoula County Sheriff's Deputies on June 12, 2011. He fled into the wooded area between the states of Montana and Idaho and remains at large. Various locations in Montana David Earl Burgert Jr. Remains on the run as a fugitive May 8, 2002 Unknown A man was arrested after returning from Pakistan for allegedly attempting to build a dirty bomb. Chicago, Illinois José Padilla Sentenced to 17 years in prison, but this changed to 21 years in 2014. ADX Florence September 3, 2002 Police officers and authoritiesAn Idaho Mountain Militia Boys militant plot to kill a judge and a police officer and break a friend out of jail is uncovered. Richard Raugust ended up releasing from prison in December 4 of 2015. Idaho Larry Eugene RaugustServed his sentence March 13, 2003 Brooklyn Bridge A man was arrested and accused of giving aid to al-Qaeda and attempting to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge Columbus, Ohio Iyman Faris Sentenced to 20 years in prison USP Marion (Released in August 2020) June 2003 Unknown Eleven members of the Virginia Jihad Network were arrested and accused of training for holy war around the globe. Northern Virginia Ali al-Tamimi, Ali Asad Chandia, et al. All sentenced to 20 or less years in prison ADX Florence (al-Tamini)FCI Terre Haute (Chandia) November 28, 2003 Shopping Mall in Columbus, Ohio. A man was arrested for planning to detonate a bomb in an Ohio shopping centre in what is known as the 2002 Columbus, Ohio shopping mall bombing plot. Columbus, Ohio Nuradin M. Abdi Sentenced in 2007 to 10 years. August 2004 New York Stock Exchange, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Citigroup Center, World Bank, and several London hotels Security in the United States was put on high alert after a plot to destroy the New York Stock Exchange and other financial institutions in New Jersey and Washington surfaces. United Kingdom and New York City, New York Dhiren Barot Sentenced to life in prisonHM Prison Frankland August 28, 2004 34th Street-Herald Square subway station Two men were arrested after attempting to bomb the New York City Subway on the day before the 2004 Republican National Convention New York City, New York Shahawar Matin Siraj and James Elshafay Sentenced to 30 years in prison FCI Ashland (Siraj) August 2004 Pakistani diplomat Two men were arrested at an Albany mosque after attempting to gain possession of a shoulder-fired grenade launcher to assassinate a Pakistani diplomat. Albany, New York Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain Both sentenced to 15 years in prison August 2005 Los Angeles-area U.S. Armed Forces bases, synagogues and other places Four men running an Islamic prison gang were arrested after allegedly attempting to destroy Los Angeles-area places. Los Angeles, California Kevin James, et al. James sentenced to 16 years in prison December 2005 Williams Natural Gas (Wyoming), Transcontinental Pipeline, Standard Oil refinery A man was arrested on suspicion that he had plans to destroy several sites. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Michael Curtis Reynolds Sentenced to 30 years in prison FCI Schuylkill February 2006 Troops in Iraq, Toledo, Ohio citizens Three men were arrested for allegedly planning to build bombs for use by terrorists in Iraq. Toledo, Ohio Mohammad Zaki Amawi, et al. Amawi was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the others 13 and 8 years, respectively. USP Marion (Amawi, later transferred to FCI Lewisburg) April 2006 Washington D.C.-area buildings Two men from Georgia were arrested after videotaping Washington-area buildings and sending the tapes to a London-based jihadist website. Toronto, Ontario Syed Haris Ahmed and Ehsanul Islam Sadequee Ahmed sentenced to 13 years in prison, Sadequee sentenced to 17. June 2006 Sears Tower and FBI offices Seven men were arrested after allegedly plotting to bomb Sears Tower and FBI offices. Miami, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia Narseal Batiste, et al. Five of the men were convicted. Batiste was sentenced to 13 years in prison. July 2006 PATH tunnels Financial District A man was arrested after allegedly attempting to bomb New York and New Jersey subway tunnels and flood the Financial District. New York, New York Assem Hammoud December 2006 Cherryvale Mall Derrick Shareef was charged after trying to trade stereo speakers for hand grenades and a handgun as part of a plan to terrorize shoppers at Cherryvale Mall in Rockford, Illinois during the holiday season. Rockford, Illinois Derrick Shareef Shareef sentenced to life imprisonment FCI Milan May 7, 2007 Fort Dix Six men were arrested after attempting an attack on the Fort Dix military base. Fort Dix, New Jersey Dritan Duka, Eljvir Duka, Shain Duka, Serdar Tatar, and Mohamad Shnewer. Four of the men received life sentences, one man received five years in prison and the other received 33 FCI Terre Haute (Dritan)USP Hazelton (Eljvir)USP Atwater (Shain)USP Terre Haute (Shnewer) June 3, 2007 John F. Kennedy International Airport Four men were arrested in New York after a plot is revealed to bomb the fuel line of JFK airport. New York City, New York Abdul Kadir, et al. Kadir sentenced to life imprisonment. May 20, 2009 New York City synagogues/U.S. military aircraft Four men were arrested in New York after a plot is revealed to blow up two synagogues and shoot down a U.S. military aircraft. New York City, New York James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams, and Laguerre Payen July 27, 2009 Unspecified Multiple men arrested for planning an attack. Near Raleigh, North Carolina Daniel Patrick Boyd, alongside seven other menFCI Butner (Boyd)FCI Berlin (Yaghi)FCI Mendota (Subasic)USP Coleman I (Sherifi) September 19, 2009 New York City Subway Zazi, a native of Afghanistan who lived in Colorado, was arrested and convicted of plotting to bomb the New York City Subway system. He was trained by al-Qaeda in Pakistan. 5 others were also indicted on related charges.New York City, New York Najibullah Zazi, alongside several other menFCI Terre Haute (Medunjanin) September 24, 2009 Federal Building, Springfield, Illinois A 29 year old was arrested on charges that he intended to bomb the Paul Findley Federal Building in Springfield, Illinois. Springfield, Illinois Michael FintonFCI Yazoo City Low II September 24, 2009 Fountain Place A 19-year-old was arrested on charges that he intended to bomb a downtown Dallas skyscraper. The suspect was sentenced to 24 years in prison in 2010. Dallas, Texas Hosam Maher Husein Smadi USP Allenwood October 16, 2009 Various overseas targets Colleen LaRose, also known as JihadJane and Fatima LaRose, is an American citizen charged with terrorism-related crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder and providing material support to terrorists. Lars Vilks was a named target in response to drawings of Muhammad. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Colleen LaRose, et al. December 25, 2009 Northwest Airlines Flight 253 A 23-year-old man was arrested after Northwest Airlines passengers jumped him to avoid his detonating an explosive device above the city of Detroit. The explosive had been concealed in his underwear. He was convicted of eight federal criminal counts, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted mass murder. On February 16, 2012, he was sentenced to 4 life terms plus 50 years without parole.Detroit, MichiganAbdul Farouk AbdulmutallabADX Florence

2010–2019