FBI Says Terror Plot Was a False Alarm

The FBI said Tuesday that the possible terrorist plot reported against Boston by a tipster last week was a false alarm, which Mexican authorities said could have been motivated by revenge or might have been a joke.

“There were in fact no terrorist plans or activity under way,” an FBI statement said. “Because the criminal investigation is ongoing, no further details can be provided at this time.”

Jose Ernesto Beltran Quinones was detained during the weekend in Mexicali, a Mexican border town near San Diego. His son, also named Jose, was detained Monday.

According to a law enforcement official there, the two men were involved in smuggling Chinese immigrants across the border and told investigators that smugglers had squabbled over a deal, and that one had anonymously called in the false tip to U.S. authorities as revenge.

The two were later released.

Mexico’s federal attorney general’s office released a statement late Tuesday saying that the elder Quinones admitted making the call, but was under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time and insisted the call “was only a joke.”

Quinones also denied being a migrant smuggler, the statement said.

The FBI statement did not say whether Quinones and his son had provided the information that allowed the threat to be ruled out, but the bureau did thank Mexican law enforcement agencies for their help.

Quinones was one of the people wanted for questioning in the alleged plot. The group also included 13 Chinese immigrants and two Iraqis; authorities later determined that one of the Chinese had been in federal custody for more than two months.