Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. David Paterson and other top officials held a ceremony Friday to honor law enforcement officials who helped thwart an alleged terrorist plot.

The joint task force of police officers and FBI agents spent months following the four suspects as they allegedly scouted for targets and purchased inactive explosives from an FBI informant.

James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and LeGuerre Payen were arrested Wednesday night after police say they planted what they thought were plastic explosives outside two Jewish sites in the Bronx. The suspects also allegedly planned to shoot down military planes at Stewart Airport in Newburgh.

During a ceremony at City Hall, Mayor Bloomberg thanked law enforcement officers for their work.

"I feel safer today in this city than ever before," says Bloomberg. "I think our first responders most importantly are the first preventers, and that's exactly what you would want."

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says public safety was the first priority of the investigation into the alleged terror plot.