A terrorist plot against John F. Kennedy International Airport caused a shockwave among some Long Island travelers arriving home Sunday.

Janet Erdman and her family arrived at MacArthur Airport after a plot to destroy a fuel pipeline and the airport was announced Saturday by authorities. "We were concerned about arriving here. But we're relying on security," Erdman said. "Any airport is vulnerable, we all know that."

Federal agents said they foiled plans of a Muslim terrorist cell. Three men are in custody, including 63-year-old mastermind Russell Defreitas. Defreitas, a retired JFK cargo handler, was arrested Friday in Brooklyn. Kareem Ibrahim and Abdul Kadir are in Trinidad awaiting extradition. Authorities in Trinidad are seeking a fourth suspect, Abdel Nur.

Investigators say an informant tipped them off about the men, who are from Trinidad and Guyana. Officials identified Kadir as a former mayor of a Guyanese town and a member of the country's parliament. According to a federal complaint, the men turned to a radical Muslim group based in Trinidad for help.

If this attack was carried out, experts say it would have crippled the airline industry and killed thousands of people. Congressman Peter King says he knew about the plot for more than a year. He stresses that New York continues to be a prime terrorist target and needs federal funding.

"The police and the FBI can't be everywhere. We need millions of eyes. Individual citizens must be the eyes and ears of law enforcement," King said of the need for all New Yorkers to stay alert.

AP wire reports contributed to this story.

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