WASHINGTON. Dec 31 : FBI agents made several arrests. Including a possible accomplice of a suspected Algerian bomb-smuggler. in their efforts to preempt a possible terrorist attack on the eve of the new millennium. reports AFP.

Law enforcement officials said federal and local police on Thursday arrested five Algerians in Boston and detained another four men in New York, one of whom was linked to accused bomb-smuggler Ahmed Ressam. arrested al a US-Canadlan border crossing in Seattle on December 14.

Thal fourth man arrested In New York. Abdel Ghani. 31. was charged with "concealing his

material support of Ressatn's el-forts to violate federal’ explosives laws in Seattle. Washington. and with conspiring with others to traffic in and use fraudulent credit and bank cards," US district attorney Mary Jo White said in a statement.

Police questioned Ghani and three others early Thursday after picking them up in Brooklyn. Their investigations showed he was in Seattle from December 11-16 under the assumed name Eduardo Rocha and was to meet up with Ressam there. White said.

Two of the four people picked up in New York with Ghani were released.