Washington (CNN) -- A Virginia man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly attempting to help others he thought were members of al Qaeda in planning multiple bombings at Metrorail stations in the Washington area, the Department of Justice said.
A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Farooque Ahmed, 34, of Ashburn, Virginia, on Tuesday, the Justice Department said in a statement.
"In announcing this arrest, officials emphasized that at no time was the public in danger during this investigation and that the FBI was aware of Ahmed's activities from before the alleged attempt began and closely monitored his activities until his arrest," the statement said. "The public should be assured that there was no threat against Metrorail or the general public in the Washington, D.C., area."