A suspected jihadist has been detained with a terrifying trove of weapons and masks just blocks from a major New York City airport.
Judd Sanson, 27, was arrested after police stopped him near LaGuardia Airport for an obscured license plate and discovered the deadly stash.
According to police, inside his vehicle were a loaded 9mm handgun, ammunition, knives, a machete, a stun gun, a whip, a bulletproof vest with an NYPD patch inside, a vest from the MTA and a baton with disturbing writing.
Sanson’s black Ford Explorer was stopped in East Elmhurst in his native Queens on Wednesday.
He was stopped by an NYPD officer who saw a black handle protruding from a holster tied to Sanson’s right pant leg, District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
Suspected jihadist Judd Sanson was detained with a terrifying trove of weapons and masks just blocks from a major New York City airport.
The police officer asked him if he had a knife, he took it out of its sheath and placed it in the console of the vehicle, he added.
This led the police to conduct an extensive search and that is when they discovered the loot of weapons.
Also recovered was an expandable black cane with the words “You left me no choice,” “Today you are going to learn” and an Arabic expression that means “Ask God for forgiveness.”
“When a person is detained and possesses a loaded semi-automatic weapon, more than 170 rounds of ammunition in total, multiple weapons, bulletproof vests, an NYPD patch and an MTA vest, just a few blocks from the airport “We are very concerned,” said District Attorney Katz.
“This investigation is ongoing and I thank the NYPD for apprehending the defendant on a routine traffic stop before anything else happened.”
Sanson now faces gun and weapons charges that, if convicted, could land him up to 15 years in prison.
According to police, they discovered a loaded 9mm handgun, ammunition, knives, a machete, a stun gun, a whip, a bulletproof vest with an NYPD patch on the inside, an MTA vest and a baton with disturbing writing.
Sanson, 27, was arrested after police stopped him for an obscured license plate and discovered the deadly stash.
It is believed that he had been living inside the vehicle before being arrested.
A friend told him New York Post that he was surprised by the accusations against Sanson, whom he described as a “quiet boy.”
‘Talk about positivity. I’m so surprised. I honestly don’t know what to think,’ he stated.
‘He never spoke of violence or terrorist plots. I think something broke in his head.
‘He never talks about his problems. Judd was always hard on himself. He has a strong accent and was embarrassed. People bullied him at school because of his accent.
Sanson is originally from a Catholic family in the Philippines but recently converted to Islam, according to the friend.
The father of two also appears to be a tattoo artist.
Sanson is originally from a Catholic family in the Philippines but recently converted to Islam, according to a friend.
Police stopped him in East Elmhurst, near LaGuardia Airport, on Wednesday.
The friend added that local merchants had warned him that “something was wrong” with Sanson, but he had dismissed their concerns.
Sanson is currently being held without bail at Rikers Island and is due in court later today.
