Plans were made to place explosives in jet fuel tanks and 40 miles of pipeline that serve the airport. Four suspected Islamic extremists have been charged with the plot, including one former Guyana MP and a former airport worker.

Three of the suspects are in custody while a search is on for the fourth in Trinidad.

US Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf said it was “one of the most chilling plots imaginable”, adding: “Had it been carried out, it could have resulted in unfathomable damage, deaths, and destruction.”

Large portions of the nearby Queen’s suburb would also have been devastated. It was planned to cause more damage than 9/11.