The group had no communication with any actual al-Qaeda or other terrorist operatives. Rather, the plan was to scam the money given to them by the informant (up to $50,000 was offered) and use it to save their fledgling construction business.
The group did not communicate with any real al-Qaeda members or terrorists. Their plan involved defrauding the money provided by an informant (up to $50,000) to help them financially stabilize their fledgling construction business.