Matthew Mahrer and Christopher Brown

Two men arrested in NYC for plotting attack on Jewish targets identified

Christopher Brown, 21, and Matthew Mahrer, 22, were armed when they were detained at Penn Station after threatening online to target synagogues.

By Edward Era Barbacena

The two men arrested on Friday for allegedly plotting to attack Jewish targets in New York City were identified on Saturday as Christopher Brown, 21, and Matthew Mahrer, 22, CBS News reported.

The two were taken into custody at Penn Station at around 11:30 p.m. EST on Friday, after a bulletin was issued by law enforcement agencies seeking to question them.

They were reportedly armed with a large hunting knife at the time of their arrest. Authorities later seized a handgun and 30-round magazine, and confiscated a Nazi armband.

Brown and Mahrer had threatened on social media last week to target synagogues.

“Close coordination among American Jewish security organizations … and federal law enforcement partners potentially disrupted a significant and likely lethal attack targeting the Jewish community in New York,” said a joint statement released by the Community Security Service, the Community Security Initiative and the Anti-Defamation League.

"We are thankful for the work of the NYPD, FBI, Joint Terrorism Task Force and MTA Police. As always, we ask the community to remain vigilant, but no further immediate community actions are needed at this time,” the statement continued