Third suspect charged in connection to VIA Rail terror plot

A former Canadian resident has been charged in New York by state authorities on Thursday in connection to a plot to derail a passenger train outside of Toronto.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that Ahmed Abassi, a Tunisian citizen, has been charged with fraudulently applying for a U.S. work visa in order to remain in the country to facilitate an act of terror.

The alleged act of terror in question was a plot to derail a VIA Rail passenger train as it travelled between Toronto and New York.

The RCMP arrested two men, Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jaser, on April 22 and charged them in the alleged plot.

[ Related: RCMP claim arrests thwarted al-Qaeda-linked attack on train ]

The FBI said on Friday that Abassi was arrested on April 22 and was arraigned on May 2.

“As alleged, Ahmed Abassi had an evil purpose for seeking to remain in the United States—to commit acts of terror and develop a network of terrorists here, and to use this country as a base to support the efforts of terrorists internationally," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. "Thanks to the extraordinary vigilance of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, Abassi has been thwarted and is being prosecuted for his alleged crimes."

Abassi lived in Canada before travelling to the U.S. in March. The FBI says Abassi was under surveillance the entire time he was in the country. The organization alleges Abassi met with Esseghaier in New York on several occasions.

The FBI said the plot was foiled when he Esseghaier shared the details of their plan with an undercover FBI agent, who captured the discussion on a recording.

Esseghaier and Jaser remain in custody pending their next court appearances.