Seven men in Miami have been charged with conspiring with al-Qaida to wage war against the United States and plotting terror attacks inside the country.
Authorities announced the arrests of the terror suspects Thursday. The men are alleged to have planned attacks against the landmark Sears Tower in Chicago and an FBI office in Miami.
The indictment says one of the suspects, Narseal Batiste, told an al-Qaida representative in 2005 that he was organizing a mission to build an Islamic army to wage jihad.
FBI and Justice Department officials are to provide further details in news conferences Friday.
Most of the suspects are American, and one is reported to be Haitian. They are to appear in court Friday.
U.S. authorities say the suspects did not pose an immediate threat.
A man who said he was a member of the group the suspects belonged to told CNN television that the seven are not terrorists. He said their group is called the "Seas of David" and has so-called "soldiers" in Chicago.
The arrests come as thousands are in Miami for a victory parade for the Miami Heat, the new National Basketball Association champions. The celebrations are to continue Friday as scheduled.
Several al-Qaida terrorists who carried out the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks had lived and trained in the South Florida area.