CANADIAN POLICE HAVE thwarted a terrorist plot on its homeland with the help of US authorities and arrested two suspects.

It is understood that the arrests came after a a year-long investigation that led to the arrests of two men, Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, who live in the Montreal and Toronto area and were conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack against a VIA passenger train that runs between Toronto and New York.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said in a press conference which began at 8.30pm Irish time that the plot was uncovered “early and effectively” through their work with the FBI and Homeland Security.

RCMP assistant commissioner James Maliza said that “had this plot been carried out it would have resulted in innocent people being killed, or seriously injured.”

Canadian police said that the attack was “Al-Qaeda supported” from elements in Iran and had received “direction and guidance”. The RCMP added, however, that there was “no indication that these attacks were state-sponsored.”

The pair are expected to appear in court on tomorrow for a bail hearing.

Charges include conspiring to carry out an attack against, and conspiring to murder persons unknown for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a terrorist group.

While the RCMP believed that these individuals had the capacity and intent to carry out these criminal acts, they said that there was no imminent threat to the general public, rail employees, train passengers or infrastructure.

- Additional reporting by AFP