Update: NBC New York reports that Najibullah Zazi, the man at the center of the FBI terrorism investigation that lead to raids of apartments in Queens, NY and Aurora, CO, kept footage of New York's Grand Central Station at his house in Aurora. He also had 9 knapsacks. However, unnamed "high-ranking anti-terrorism officials" told NBC New York that there is no eminent threat to Grand Central Station, arguing that "there is no evidence of any plot [on Grand Central Station], "if there was any credible evidence of any plot, a public terror warning would have been made."
Zazi continues to deny any wrongdoing.
The New York Daily News reports "Hundreds of FBI agents are on the ground in Colorado, conducting round-the-clock surveillance on five suspects" in relation to a massive probe that revealed a potential terrorist cell based in Colorado. The probe resulted in a raid on several Queens, New York apartments. An unnamed former counterterrorism official told the Daily News "The FBI is seriously spooked about these guys planning another 9/11. This is not some ... FBI informant-driven case. This is the real thing."
New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly Told reporters that the investigation had "substance."
9News Denver adds that the FBI's joint terrorism task force has been in Denver searching for links to a suspected extremist who recently traveled to New York. They have not located the individual at the center of the investigation, but did find a document about bomb-making in an apartment.
Update: The Denver Post reports that the target of the FBI search in Denver is named Najibullah. The New York Post describes the man as "a Queens-born man in his late 20s who has an Afghani father," and adds that he "had been under surveillance by the FBI in Denver, where he lives." According to ABC News, Najibullah was recently allowed to fly back to Denver from New York under "close surveillance."
Update: Governor Ritter's office issued a press release stating that the Governor has been aware of the investigation for several days, and that "there's no reason to believe there is any imminent threat in Colorado."
Read the AP story on the investigation below.
NEW YORK - The investigation of a suspected al-Qaida associate prompted the "preventive" raid of three New York City apartments -- but authorities said the target of any terror attack plan remained unclear.
The searches early Monday came after the man, who was under surveillance for possible links to the terrorism network, visited New York City over the weekend and then left the area, said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.
Investigators issued warrants to search the residences for explosives material but did not find any, according to a person briefed on the matter who was not authorized to discuss the case and requested anonymity.
Sen. Charles Schumer said the law enforcement action was unrelated to President Barack Obama's visit to the city Monday.
"There was nothing imminent, and they are very good now at tracking potentially dangerous actions, and this was preventive," said Schumer, D-N.Y.
Both lawmakers were briefed Monday by law enforcement officials.
Two U.S. intelligence officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly, said the target of any purported attack -- or who would carry it out -- remained unclear.
Authorities have not found any weapons ready for use that would indicate an attack was imminent, they said. Nevertheless, one of the officials called the threat very real and emphasized the urgency of it.
New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne confirmed that searches were conducted in the borough of Queens by agents of a joint terrorism task force.
Residents in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens on Monday described officers armed with search warrants swarming their immigrant neighborhood at about 2:30 a.m.
Akbari Amanullah, a cab driver who lived in an apartment with four other natives of Afghanistan, said when he arrived home from work afterward, he was told that one of his roommates had been taken away.
No arrests were announced. Neither the FBI nor the NYPD would discuss the whereabouts of the al-Qaida suspect or whether anyone was being held for questioning in New York.
A White House spokesman said Obama, who spoke on Wall Street on Monday, had been briefed on the investigation.
The person familiar with the case said the raids were the result of previous law enforcement surveillance of people.
The investigation was continuing.
One man at a three-story brick apartment building in the neighborhood confirmed Monday that authorities had been at his apartment, but he wouldn't identify himself or comment further. Nearby resident Kabir Islam said he saw FBI agents and police officers surrounding the apartment when he arrived home after 3 a.m.
Amanullah said about a dozen FBI agents went to his nearby fifth-floor apartment at about 2:30 a.m.