Queens bust: 2 brothers kept homemade explosive devices, 'hit list' in Astoria apartment, authorities allege

QUEENS - Two brothers in Queens are accused of keeping an arsenal of homemade weapons, as well as smoke bombs, over 600 rounds of ammunition and three sets of body armor, inside their Astoria apartment.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced an indictment Monday afternoon against Andrew and Angelo Hatziagelis. Both Andrew and Angelo were taken into custody. 

"The city is safer today," Katz said. "My Crime Strategies and Intelligence Bureau launches investigations every day so that we find illegal weapons, including guns and, in this case explosive devices."

Katz said authorities executed a search warrant at their home back on Jan. 17 and found six operable and loaded ghost guns, including assault weapons, protective gear and eight homemade explosive devices.

Investigators also recovered notebooks with hit lists that included police officers, politicians and celebrities, along with a scanner radio set to the frequency of the neighboring police precinct.

"Homemade explosives, we also recovered during the search warrant," Katz said. "One partially constructed IED rigged with a tripwire device that is, that item right there demonstrating an advanced level of sophistication in homemade explosives."

The apartment is located right across from a Con Ed power facility.

The suspects are facing 130 counts, including criminal possession of weapons. Their next court date is Feb. 15.