MIAMI, Dec 1: Two men of Pakistani descent had been charged with plotting to provide material support to terrorists and to use a weapon of mass destruction within the US, federal prosecutors said on Friday.

The men were identified as brothers Sheheryar Alam Qazi, 30, and 20-year-old Raees Alam Qazi. Both were naturalised US citizens originally from Pakistan and both were arrested in the Fort Lauderdale area, prosecutors said.

Few details about the plot were provided by prosecutors or outlined in a brief, three-page grand jury indictment.

Authorities said the case was not an FBI sting operation but declined any additional comment. “Any potential threat posed by these two individuals has been disrupted,” said Miami US Attorney Wifredo Ferrer.

In Washington, Justice Department national security spokesman Dean Boyd called the case “an ongoing, very active investigation” but provided no specifics.

The indictment charges that the two provided money, property, lodging, communications equipment and other support for a conspiracy to obtain a weapon of mass destruction between July 2011 and this week. The goal was to “use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives) against persons and property within the United States,” prosecutors said in a press release.

It wasn’t clear whether the conspirators actually did obtain explosives or what their potential targets might have been.—AP