Va. man accused of plotting bomb attacks at Metro stations

A Northern Virginia man charged with plotting the destruction of Metro stations told contacts he assumed were al Qaeda terrorists that the best hour to strike the transit targets would be between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to “cause the most casualties,” according to federal authorities.

Farooque Ahmed, 34, of Ashburn, was arrested as part of an FBI sting operation. Prosecutors say that he conducted surveillance and recorded video of three Metrorail stations in Virginia. He then gave the footage of Arlington Cemetery, Court House and Pentagon City stations to persons posing as terrorists, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria.