Five held in US for plotting to blow up bridge

Washington, May 1 (IANS) Five suspects have been arrested by the FBI for allegedly plotting to blow up a bridge in Ohio state, media reports said Tuesday.

The arrests were, however, not connected to the one-year anniversary of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden's death. Instead, the suspects were described as anarchists, Xinhua reported citing local TV station WKYC.

The FBI said the suspects had plotted to blow up the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Brecksville Station near Cleveland.

They were arrested by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force April 30 on charges of conspiracy and attempted use of explosive materials to damage physical property affecting interstate commerce.

The FBI has filed charges against three of the suspects, who are self-proclaimed anarchists. Charges against two others are pending.

The arrests were part of an FBI sting operation, and federal officials said there was "never any danger".

The group purchased what they thought were explosives from an undercover FBI agent. They were arrested after they allegedly placed the fake explosives at the bridge.

The five were under close police surveillance. The explosives the group allegedly purchased and allegedly attempted to use were inoperable, the report said.