Residents of the town of West, Texas will be allowed to return home in phases starting Saturday afternoon. Wednesday night's explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. killed 14 people.

Mayor pro tem Steve Vanek announced Saturday afternoon that residents from Oak to Walnut Streets would be the first to be allowed back into their neighborhoods.

Residents would need to have their vehicles marked by authorities to be allowed inside the blast area.

The city also said a curfew would be enforced starting at sundown and that residents would need to stay inside their homes or leave the impact zone by 7 p.m. and could not return until 7 a.m.

No vehicles larger than pickups would be allowed into the area and each family would be allowed only two vehicles.

Vanek reminded residents to be aware of broken glass, nails and debris from the explosion.

The Texas Department of Public Safety reiterated that the death toll was still 14 Saturday afternoon.

Vanek would not answer reporter questions about if anyone is still missing in the explosion.

Vanek said the city was working on a memorial for those killed in the explosion, but said it was too soon to provide details.

Small Fires at Explosion Site Contained

"It is safe, it is safe, it is safe, for our citizens, Vanek said at the beginning of Saturday afternoon's news conference.

The statement came after officials told residents displaced by the massive fertilizer plant explosion in Texas that tanks on site are leaking gas and causing small fires, according to the Associated Press.

They said the fires are contained, but they prevented those who live nearby from returning to their homes in the town of West.

He said the leaks were caused by tanks damaged by heat and had triggered small fires. He said no further evacuations were necessary.

Paramedic Bryce Reed visited a hotel crammed with displaced residents on Saturday and gave a short briefing.

Reed, who is also a spokesman for West, said there may be reports of "another explosion in West," but warned that those are exaggerated.

Residents Ready to Return Home

Many West residents spent all day Saturday at City Hall hoping to get an update from officials on when the road blocks will be lifted and they’ll be allowed to start picking up the pieces at home.

"We just want to get back home and get to fixing the house up. Get back to life. I know there's a lot of stuff that needs to be done to the perimeter," said displaced resident Pete Arias. "But it's not a huge perimeter."

Pete Arias, his wife Jackie and his 8-year-old son Sam have been staying with his mother in Waco.

Their house in the 900 block of Main Street was damaged but not destroyed in the explosion.

"I'm trying to stay calm about the whole situation. We're in an area where all the windows shattered and the garage doors are damaged. We all suffered the same damage on that block. Nobody's house was totally floored, or totally destroyed. We should be allowed to get in there and try and fix some of the damage to the house," he said.

Jackie Arias said she's worried about the toll it's taking on the town's children.

"Our son has to go to school on Monday, and it's like, you want your life to come back together. Especially for the kids, it's so important to keep them on schedule. Because if you don't, they know something's wrong in their world," she said.

Classes will resume on Monday and many parents said they have no idea how the school bus routes will be affected in the area.

NBC 5's Jeff Smith contributed to this report.

The UConn Huskies suited up for their annual spring scrimmage at Rentschler Field Saturday, in preparation for the season which starts in August.

The stadium was filled with fans and students who were eager to support the team and to see what kind of talent to expect in the upcoming season. Fans even sported the new Husky logo t-shirt as did the cheerleaders and dance team.

Coach Paul Pasqualoni said he was proud of the men and that he has high hopes for next year.

Fans said that despite the horrific events which have unfolded in Boston the past few days, that did not deter them from attending the game and said that they do indeed feel safe in Connecticut.

One fan admitted that although it is a scary situation, he feels confident with the new security measures Rentschler Field has taken, and that he will continue his daily activities without fear.

"I'm pretty upbeat with the security measures in the state of Connecticut, I' m not worried about that," said Robert Toze from Vernon.

To heighten security as well as safety awareness, posters were placed on gates surrounding the stadium with the slogan “If you see something, say something,” attendants were also patted down and no bags or large items were allowed into the stadium.

Police presence was evident and there were definitely a few extra police vehicles and bomb sniffing dogs around the area. A Rentschler field official added that the roads surrounding the stadium had been closed off, so that there is only one way in to the arena, and everyone must go through security.
 

A Connecticut man has been arrested on charges of unspecified threats against Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

The Republican American reports that John Montysko of Barkhamsted was arrested Friday and is being held on $120,000 bond. A woman who answered the phone at his home would not comment.

Police say they found numerous weapons at the 59-year-old Montysko's home. He was arrested after a Connecticut television station turned over a comment posted April 14 on its website.

Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance would not say what the comment was or identify the TV station.

Montysko is to appear in New Britain Superior Court April 22 on charges of threatening and inciting injury to a person. He also was charged with illegal possession of weapons, including an AK-47.

Associated Press/NBC Connecticut
 

Police say a Long Island woman has been arrested on charges she encouraged her teenagers to shoot the windows out of parked cars with a BB gun as she drove.
 
Susan Becker, 43, of East Northport was arrested Friday.
 
Police say Becker bought a BB gun and gave it to her children. They say Becker's 15-year-old daughter, her 13-year-old son and another teenage boy fired the BB gun as she drove.
 
Police are investigating more than 60 reports of damage to car windows in three different areas over the past two weeks.
 
Becker was scheduled to be arraigned Saturday on charges including criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child.
 
Information on an attorney for Becker was not immediately available.

Becker's neighbor, Wendy Morelli, said she was shocked to learn of the charges and described Morelli as a "great mom" and a "great neighbor."

"She's always there to help everybody," Morelli said of Becker. "This doesn't seem real. She's just such a good person."
 

An 18-year-old man was arrested Friday just before he traveled to the Middle East to join an al-Qaida terrorist group, according to federal officials.

Abdella Ahmad Tounisi was held without bail Saturday after he was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, a felony offense that could result in up to 15 years in prison.

The arrest was not connected to the Boston Marathon bombing, officials said.

Investigations of Tounisi began as he was reportedly connected to Adel Daoud, a 19-year-old man charged with the attempted bombing of a downtown Chicago bar last year, officials said.

Though Tounisi admitted he discussed attack techniques and targets prior to the attempted bombing, he was not involved in the act itself, according to federal officials.

Tounisi allegedly recommended certain attack techniques, offered ideas about targeting and researched the locations online to analyze their feasibility, but pulled out of the attack in mid-August after suspecting law enforcement was involved, according to a federal complaint.

Tounisi later made contact with a person he believed was a recruiter for Jabhat al-Nusrah, a jihadist militant group operating in Syria and claims to be connected to nearly 600 terrorist attacks in Syria. The group is reportedly connected to al-Qaida.

But the recruiter was actually an undercover federal employee, officials said.

Tounisi reportedly expressed a “willingness to die” for the cause and planned to travel to Syria through Turkey, the complaint said.

On April 10, he bought an airplane ticket to Istanbul, Turkey with intentions of later traveling into Syria and was arrested at O’Hare Airport Friday evening.

Tounisi’s father, Ahmad Tounisi said federal investigators seized a computer, a Nook and two Xbox systems from their home Friday night.

“I feel that my son is innocent,” he said. “His perfect world is a world that doesn’t have any rape, that doesn’t have any oppressors, that doesn’t have any injustice.”

He said his son was studying radiology at the College of DuPage and claimed to know nothing of his plans to join the terrorist group.

Ahmad Tounisi said he thought his son was going to a mosque for three days and that he didn’t have money to buy a plane ticket to Turkey.

Tounisi is expected to appear in court Tuesday.
 

Authorities say they still don't know what caused Wednesday night's blast at West Fertilizer Co. in West, Teas. At least 14 people died and more than 200 were injured, and the final report on the tragedy may take months.

Assistant Texas Fire Marshal Kelly Kistner says all fires have been extinguished at the explosion scene and the remaining fertilizer tanks are not a danger.

Kistner said the investigation into the cause of the blast is focused on the center of the explosion, a large crater at the center of the blast area.

West mayor pro tem Steve Vanek said the reentry process is going well and the city is waiting for Atmos gas line testing to clear the scene for phase two of reentry which will be from Walnut to Spring Streets. The third phase will include the area with the most destruction.

Public works and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are still trying to restore water systems that are still not running in several places around the city. No one under the age of 18 is allowed into secure area for safety and access to the area is still limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. while the curfew remains in effect.

Meanwhile a memorial for first responders is planned for Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Ferrell Center at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

West Mayor Tommy Muska has said that 10 of the 14 who died were first responders, including one Dallas firefighter who was off-duty but responded to help.

First responders from across the state and nation are expected to attend the event.

"We're a family," said Joe Ondrasek with the honor guard. "We feel the loss."

There's no word ifPresident Barack Obama will attend the memorial. The president and first lady are scheduled to attend the opening of former President George W. Bush's presidential library at Southern Methodist University in Dallas on Thursday.

The blast in West has brought international condolences from the United Kingdom, Canada and Russia.

When asked about death toll, Vanek said the county judge would have the answer, he was not present at the Sunday morning news conference. The next news conference is planned for 4 p.m.

NBC 5's Keaton Fox and NBC News contributed to this report.

Police and firefighters responded to a three-car accident in Vernon Sunday afternoon.

According to police, the accident happened at around 2 p.m., near 568 Talcottville Road. Five people were injured.

One person was taken to Rockville Hospital. Four people were transported to Hartford Hospital: one by Life Star and the others by ambulance.

All are in stable condition, said Sgt. O'Connor from the Vernon Police Department.

The accident is being investigated.

A Hartford man was assaulted and mugged Saturday night near 256 Mathers Street, police said.

The man was walking on Mathers Street around 9 p.m. when two suspects approached him from behind. One hit the victim in the face, knocking him to the ground.

The suspects searched the man's pockets, took his wallet and fled. The victim received minor injuries and was taken to St. Francis Hospital.

Both suspects are still on the run. One suspect is described as a black male in his 30s, about six feet tall and 280 pounds. Police said he has black dreadlocks and was last seen wearing red workout clothes.

There is no information on the other suspect. Police are still investigating.

A Winsted home went up in flames Sunday afternoon, police said.

The fire at 23 Thibault Avenue began shortly after noon on Sunday. Five adults and five children escaped uninjured.

The scene remained active well into the evening. Winsted police said the damage was extensive and the house is now structurally unsafe.

Police said that although the fire was contained to one house, the heat of the flames melted the siding on both neighboring homes.

The Torrington Fire Deparment sent a ladder truck to help fight the flames, Torrington fire officials said.

Winsted police said the State Fire Marshal is taking over the investigation. Fire officials were still on scene around 5:45 p.m.

A camp ranger who was carjacked by rogue former Los Angeles police officer Christopher Dorner intends to sue the city to collect a $1 million reward offered for information leading to the fugitive's capture, his attorney said.

Rick Heltebrake, who works at a camp in Big Bear, is one of several people seeking the reward, including a couple that Dorner tied up as the former officer hid out in their nearby cabin.

The Los Angeles Police Department said it had a list of procedures for those seeking reward money offered during the manhunt. A panel of former judges will determine who gets the money.

However, the big payout, which was cobbled together from several, smaller contributions and rewards, has been shrinking in recent months because Dorner killed himself and was not captured.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and police Chief Charlie Beck announced the record-breaking reward during a massive manhunt for Dorner, who allegedly killed the daughter of a police officer, her fiance and a Riverside police officer.

Dorner, a former LAPD officer and U.S. Navy reservist, wrote a lengthy, online manifesto that claimed the LAPD falsely accused him of wrongdoing and unfairly fired him years earlier. He vowed to wage a war against police until his name was cleared.

While police scoured Southern California for any sign of Dorner, the ex-officer's burning truck turned up in the San Bernardino mountains near Big Bear Lake. Hundreds of officers descended on the small mountain town during a heavy snowstorm to search for him.

On Feb. 12, Jim and Karen Reynolds walked into their cabin to find Christopher Dorner holed up inside. He tied up the couple and left without harming them. Karen Reynolds was able to get to her cell phone and call 911.

Later that day, Dorner carjacked Heltebrake at gunpoint and took off in his truck. Heltebrake called a local sheriff's deputy to report the crime.

Authorities soon engaged Dorner in a gun battle, in which a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy died and Dorner was driven into a cabin. The cabin caught fire when police lobbed in incendiary tear gas canisters, and Dorner reportedly turned his gun on himself.

“Mr. Heltebrake’s telephone call to Deputy Franklin notified law enforcement of Mr. Dorner’s location, provided a description of the vehicle he was fleeing in, and was a substantial factor in the capture of Mr. Dorner,” Allen L. Thomas, Heltebrake’s lawyer, wrote in a letter seeking the reward.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Earth Day is here and there is no shortage of opportunities to do something nice for the planet.

The Environmental Protection Agency published a list of events that are taking place across the country to help us honor and celebrate Earth Day.  But for those who are less interested in planting trees and more interested in saving the green in their wallets, here are some great deals that also happen to be great for the earth.

The Body Shop - Use coupon code 3MINUTE for any online or in-store purchase and receive a free 8.4 ounce Earth Lovers shower gel. Valid on April 22 only.

Disney Store: Recycle five plastic shopping bags at the store on April 22 and receive a free "Brave" or "Cars 2" reusable shopping bag.

Caribou Coffee - Bring in your own travel mug and fill up with a free cup of coffee on April 22.

EVOS - The healthy fast food chain is giving out free organic milkshakes on April 22.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores - The first 50 customers at every store will receive a free tote bag.

Pottery Barn -  Visit the store between April 20 and 22 and kids get a free packet of seeds to plant at home.

National Parks - National Park Week comes right on the heels of Earth Day, which means earth lovers can enjoy all that nature has to offer for free. National parks are offering free admission from April 22 to 26.

H&M - This isn't billed as an Earth Day deal, but the planet will thank you: Bring in a bag of used clothes and receive a voucher for a discount on your next purchase. The donated clothes will be recycled or used for raw material for new products.

Best Buy - Save up to 25 percent on appliances until April 27.

Travelocity - The travel site is offering earth-friendly vacations that start at $76.

Anything whispered or commanded to Apple's virtual assistant can stay on Apple servers for up to two years, according to reports.

An Apple spokeswoman confirmed how long it keeps Siri data, Wired reported. However, spokeswoman Trudy Muller said the data on Apple servers is anonymized and only the company only collects the sound bytes to improve the virtual assistant.

Apple apparently assigns voice files a randomized number to represent an individual user and represents the user in voice analysis. After six months, Apple will take away a user number from the clip and delete the number. However, it still keeps the voice files for 18 or more months.

The American Civil Liberties Union wants Apple to link to its Siri privacy policy so users know that a person could reveal "sensitive things about you, your family or business" before they buy an Apple device.

Apple being forthright about how it uses its customer information would be a boost for consumer protection. However, Apple is notorious for not being a very forthright company. In fact, it seems to revel in its secrecy. So, can Apple be the proverbial leopard that changes its spots? Probably not.

In a news conference Monday, officials declared safe the neighborhood around the site of last week's deadly West, Texas, fertilizer plant blast, which was so powerful it registered as a small earthquake and left a large crater.

Still, public services will not be restored for several weeks, officials said, and they have not yet identified what caused the blast.

Meanwhile, as the town struggles to recover, the White House said Monday that President Barack Obama is planning to attend a memorial service for first responders scheduled for Thursday on the campus of Baylor University in nearby Waco.

Last week's explosion killed 14 people, wounded 200 others, destroyed about 50 homes and severely damaged a nursing home and other buildings nearby. It reportedly killed 10 first responders, many of them volunteer firefighters who came after initial reports of a fire at the plant.

Town's Recovery Could Take Weeks

Preliminary reports indicate the infrastructure to the town was severely damaged and that further assessment is underway to determine just how significant that damage may be, city officials said Monday afternoon.

Due to the damage, officials said a boil water notice is in place for all of West, likely for the next few weeks, and that those without water service will not have it restored for up to three weeks.

City officials said city services it will take some time to restore and are encouraging people to find someplace else to stay until all services are restored.

Federal and state investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire that set off the explosion. Investigators also said they are taking a 3-D image of the crater to determine it's size and hopefully learn more about explosion.

Authorities said there is still no inventory of all chemicals that were at the facility.

Officials also discussed the memorial service scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at Baylor's Ferrell Center in Waco.  The White House said Monday morning that President Barack Obama is planning to attend, though it is not yet clear if the president plans to tour the town.

Inside the Blast Zone

The destruction was evident in a short visit to the area organized for reporters.

An apartment building just across the railroad tracks from the plant appeared to bear the brunt of the explosion, according to a pool report. The building's roof was collapsed, its windows were blown out and chunks of concrete from the plant littered the space between the tracks and the apartments.

Assistant state fire marshal Kelly Kistner said the blast left a "large crater." Kistner said all fires have been extinguished at the explosion scene, and the remaining fertilizer tanks at West Fertilizer Co. are not a danger.

"Several blocks we had projectiles or shrapnel that has been found of different sizes," Kistner said. "Smaller pieces have been found blocks away."

The wave radiating from the blast also hit the nursing home across the street from the apartments. There too, windows were blown out, ceiling tiles were visible throughout the rooms and the red brick exterior was cracked. At West Intermediate School, a northern wall was charred and the southern wall showed structural damage.

Crews from Union Pacific were repairing the railroad tracks, but reporters were kept from climbing the berm to see what was happening at the fertilizer plant. Above the berm, four heavily damaged metal structures were visible at the plant.

More than 60 people are working in the blast zone for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the state fire marshal's office. 

Kristner said officials have found the seat, or center, of the explosion, "which is important, because as we conduct our investigation we'll be working from an outer perimeter inward, from the least damaged to the greatest damage. So knowing the seat of that explosion is important."

Robert Champion, the special agent in charge for ATF's Dallas office, said experts plan to get into the crater in the next couple of days and start digging it out "to see what transpired to cause this devastation."

"It's a slow process, but we're getting there," Champion said.

The town of 2,800 people was previously known in Texas for its deep Czech heritage — from the designs of storefronts in the town center and the names of streets and businesses to the "Czech Stop" bakery selling kolaches and other pastries to drivers exiting Interstate 35.

Sunday Services

On the first Sunday after a fertilizer plant explosion leveled part of the tiny Texas town, pastor John Crowder stood atop a long flatbed overlooking a hayfield and spoke to his congregation.

Elsewhere, at the largest Roman Catholic church in town, the Rev. Boniface Onjefu's congregation on Sunday included firefighters and emergency workers who could be spotted in bright yellow jackets.

Some of the people who attended Crowder's outdoor service wore T-shirts calling on others to "pray for West."

"Every time I close my eyes, all I can think about is the explosion," said Edi Botello, a senior at West High School. "People running around. People evacuating. There was one point I couldn't even talk. I just stuttered."

Crowder's First Baptist Church in West remained blocked off as investigators work on the scene of Wednesday's blast. So about 100 people sat in white folding chairs Sunday morning, while others carried their own.

"We have lost our friends and neighbors," Crowder told the audience. We have lost the safety and comfort of our homes. But as scary as this is, we don't have to be afraid."

"I stopped at the nursing home," Onjefu said. "I noticed a lot of people trapped. I assisted. I prayed with some and held the hands of some that needed comfort. I saw him in the eyes of everyone." 

"God heard our prayers and prevented another tank from exploding."

A one-car crash closed route 69 in Woodbridge for several hours Monday morning.

According to police, the driver of the 2009 Toyota was traveling south on Route 69 when he went off the road near Clark Road and hit a utility pole around 11:30 p.m. Sunday.

A man in the car was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to police. His identity has not been released.

Route 69 remained closed between Clark Road and Bishop drive for most of Monday morning and afternoon while crews worked to repair the utility pole.

Gov. Dannel Malloy asked Connecticut residents to join Massachusetts in a moment of silence a week after the bombings that killed three people at the Boston Marathon.

"Connecticut stands with Massachusetts in honoring the victims of the tragedy last week in Boston," Malloy said in a statement.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick planned a moment of silence for the state at 2:50 p.m. on Monday, exactly one week after the first explosion at the Boston Marathon finish line. Bells will ring across the city after a minute-long tribute to the victims.

Krystle Campbell, 29, Lu Lingzi, 23, and 8-year-old Martin Richard were all killed in the blasts. MIT Officer Sean Collier was shot and killed Thursday night by the bombing suspects, according to police.

"I've directed state agencies to join Massachusetts in a moment of silence at 2:50 today, and am encouraging Connecticut residents to do the same," Malloy said. "We thank law enforcement and first responders for their actions at the marathon and in the days that followed. Our thoughts remain with the victims of this senseless tragedy and the families mourning the loss of their loved ones."

The criminal complaint filed against Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev provides a chilling new look at the moments just before and just after the explosions, as well as new details of the manhunt to capture him.

Tsarnaev was charged Monday with the use of a weapon of mass destruction and malicious destruction of property resulting in death.

The details of the bombing were pieced together from video surveillance and photographs, according to the complaint:

• The suspects -- referred to as Bomber One and Bomber Two in the complaint -- are first seen on surveillance footage at 2:38 p.m. on April 15, when they turn from Gloucester Street to Boylston Street. Both are carrying large knapsacks. "As set forth below," the complaint says, "there is probably cause to believe that Bomber One is Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Bomber Two is his brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev."
• As seen on several security cameras and photos, both men walked down Boylston Street towards Fairfield Street. At about 2:41 p.m., both suspects stood together a half-block from the Forum Restaurant, between Fairfield and Exeter Streets.
• At about 2:42 p.m., the suspects split up. Bomber One walked towards the Marathon finish line by himself, with his backpack still on his back.
• Three minutes later, Bomber Two walks in front of the Forum Restaurant and stands near a metal barrier among the spectators. His backpack is still on, and he's facing the runners. He then slipped the backpack onto the ground -- a photograph taken from across the street showed the backpack at his feet, on the ground.
• Bomber Two remained in that spot for about four minutes. He occasionally looked at his cell phone, and once appeared to take a photo with it. About 30 seconds before the first explosion, he held the phone to his ear and talked into it for about 18 seconds. A few seconds after he finishes the call, the crowd reacts to the first explosion. "Bomber Two, virtually alone among the individuals in front of the restaurant, appears calm," according to the complaint. "He glances to the east and then calmly but rapidly begins moving to the west, away from the direction of the finish line. He walks away without his knapsack, having left it on the ground where he had been standing."
• About 10 seconds later, the second explosion occurs where he left the backpack.

Three days later, at about 5 p.m. on April 18, the FBI released photos of the two suspects. That kicked off an intense manhunt that included a carjacking, a wild chase and the shutdown of the entire city of Boston and some surrounding areas before Tsarnaev was found hiding in a parked boat in a backyard in Watertown, Mass. Here are details from the complaint:

• At about midnight that night, a man was sitting on his car in Cambridge, Mass., when a stranger approached the car and tapped on his passenger-side window, according to the car's driver. When the driver rolled down the window, the man reached in, opened the door, got in the passenger seat and pointed the gun at the driver. "Did you hear about the Boston explosion," the gunman said, according to the complaint. "I did that." The man removed the magazine from the gun and showed the victim that the gun was loaded, and then said, "I'm serious."
• The suspect forced the victim to pick up the second suspect. Then they took the victim's keys and made him move to the passenger seat. The two suspects spoke in a different language.
• They demanded money from the victim, and he gave them $45. They forced the victim to give them his ATM card and password. They stopped at a gas station on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, and the victim managed to escape.
• The stolen car was located soon after in Watertown, and police gave chase. The suspects threw two explosive devices out of the car on Laurel Street, and a gunfight ensued. "One of the men was severely injured and remained at the scene," the complaint said. "The other managed to escape in the car." The car was found soon after, abandoned a few blocks away. There was another explosive device in the car.
• At the scene of the shootout, the FBI found two unexploded IEDs, and remnants of several exploded IEDs.
• Later that night, on April 19, police discovered someone hiding in a covered boat on Franklin Street in Watertown. After a standoff in which police exchanged gunfire with the man, he was captured and  searched. He had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, neck, legs and hand.
• Police found a University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth ID card, credit cards and other forms of ID, all in the name of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. 

Two men were arrested and charged Monday with plotting an al-Qaida-sponsored attack on a passenger train in Canada, authorities said Monday.

Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, of Montreal, and Raed Jaser, 35, of Toronto, were arrested and charged Monday with conspiring to attack a VIA Rail Canada train, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

VIA runs trains in partnership with Amtrak in the United States, and multiple sources told NBC News that trains out of New York may have been scouted by the suspects.

Innocent people would have been killed or seriously wounded, the RCMP said, but there was no imminent threat to the public or to railway workers. The threat was still in its planning stage, according to police.

Neither suspect is a Canadian citizen, the RCMP said, though it declined to say where they were from, adding that they were receiving "direction and guidance" from al-Qaida in Iran.

Police said they had begun their investigation, conducted jointly with other Canadian and U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies, had begun in August 2012.

The pair is set to appear in court Tuesday for bail hearings.

Police are investigating a two-car crash that killed one woman and injured three others in New Haven Friday night.

The accident happened around 9:35 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Goffe Street and Ella T. Grasso Boulevard in New Haven. One car drove into a utility pole, causing an area-wide power outage.

One of the drivers, New Haven resident Carolina Chicas-Sabatino, 29, was in a coma and died Saturday night. Police said three adult passengers were in serious but stable condition.

A New Haven officer tried to pull over one of the cars just prior to the crash. The car, which was driving erratically and ran a red light, sped off and got away. The officer later responded to the crash and identified the car.

Police are still investigating and said it could take weeks, maybe months, to file charges.