Authorities say the man arrested and the man fatally shot by anti-terrorism authorities Tuesday were plotting to cut off the head of a police officer.
Police say Usaama Rahim, 26, was fatally shot in Boston when approaching police with a large knife. He had made threats to behead officers in what may have been an “ISIS inspired plot to harm law enforcement officials.”
“We believe the intent was to behead a police officer,” an official told The Boston Globe. “We knew the plot had to be stopped. They were planning to take action Tuesday.”
Joint Terrorism Task Force officers say they tried to question Rahim about terrorist-related activity Tuesday but he came at them with a knife. After ignoring multiple commands to stop, they shot Rahim twice and he later died at the hospital.
Authorities said Rahim, who was described by a friend as a devout Muslim, and David Wright, the other man allegedly connected to the plot, had been under surveillance for weeks.
Wright was arrested Tuesday in Everett, Mass. and will appear in court Wednesday. Authorities have kept quiet on the details of the plot but more information about the case is expected to be available after that appearance.
There have been no confirmed reports of direct connections with terrorists groups, but beheading with a knife matches the notorious tactics of ISIS. The terrorist group has produced multiple videos showing beheadings.
The shooting occurred just weeks after Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death and the same day Tsarneav’s friend was sentenced to six years in prison for obstructing the investigation. (RELATED: Boston Bomber’s Friend Sentenced To Six Years In Prison)
Follow Casey on Twitter and like him on Facebook
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.