The three proclaimed allegiance to ISIS and one even described Al Qaeda as "too moderate". They discussed traveling to ISIS-controlled terrority to fight alongside the terror group, but also wanted to carry out an attack within the United States and had planned a suicide attack against law enforcement using pressure-cooker bombs.

Multiple members of the group had been under surveillance, and had approached the undercover officers following them and informed their ISIS contacts overseas that they were under surveillance, which led to the planning of their attack. The group was known to have assisted New Jersey resident Nader Saadeh in traveling overseas to join ISIS, where he was apprehended, returned to the United States, and pled guilty, receiving a 10 year prison sentence.

During the execution of a search warrant at the Staten Island residence of one of the men, Fareed Mumuni, on June 15, 2015, Mumuni lunged at an FBI officer and attempted to stab him multiple times with a kitchen knife, but the agent's protective gear deflected the blade. Co-conspirator Munther Omar Saleh and another unnamed individual were arrested in Queens after they stopped their vehicle and charged towards the vehicle of undercover officers following them. Saleh and Mumuni pleaded guilty, receiving prison sentences of 18 and 17 years, respectively.