An excerpt from court papers in the case against Munther Omar Saleh. Saleh is accused of plotting a terror attack in New York City (credit: CBS2)

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A college student in Queens is accused of planning a terror attack on New York City on behalf of ISIS.

Munther Omar Saleh was arrested on June 7 after allegedly trying to attack investigators who were following him, 1010 WINS’ Sonia Rincon reported.

Federal investigators said Saleh was in a green Jeep and had a knife on him when he was arrested near the Whitestone Bridge, CBS2’s Dave Carlin reported. He allegedly jumped out of the Jeep and stormed toward the undercover police car.

As CBS2’s Jessica Schneider reported, Saleh’s father wouldn’t say much as he arrived at his home Tuesday night. But he defended his son.

“They were setting him up with the informants, and they should know. I’m not going to say nothing else but that,” he said.

Speaking to CBS2’s Schneider earlier in the day off camera, Saleh insisted that his son was just doing simple Internet searches and meant no harm.

“His son is just his son, and I can’t believe that these things can happen to him,” said neighbor Elizabeth Taylor. “It’s really sad.”

Read The Complaint Against Saleh

Saleh recently enrolled at a college in Queens that specializes in aeronautics and was taking a course in electrical circuitry, according to investigators.