US man arrested in 'grenade plot'

An FBI statement said the man, Derrick Shareef, 22, tried to trade stereo speakers for four hand grenades and a gun from an undercover agent.

Officials said he was acting alone and was not part of a wider group.

Mr Shareef had allegedly told an acquaintance he wanted to commit acts of "violent jihad", the FBI said.

The acquaintance then informed the FBI of Mr Shareef's alleged plans and he was put under surveillance.

The FBI said Mr Shareef planned to explode the hand grenades inside garbage cans at the CherryVale shopping centre in Rockford, Illinois.

Mr Shareef told his acquaintance that he "wanted to commit acts of violent jihad against targets in the United States" according to the FBI affidavit.

"Once the threat Shareef posed was detected by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, his activities and movements were under constant surveillance and there was no imminent risk to the public," Associated Press news agency quoted FBI special agent Robert D Grant as saying.

Mr Shareef has been charged with attempting to damage or destroy a building by fire or explosion and with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.