Nation


Suspect Arrested in Times Square Bomb Attempt

Updated: 7 minutes ago 






By Lisa Flam and Lauren Frayer 
 
(May 4) -- A 30-year-old Pakistani-American has been arrested in connection with the failed SUV bomb in New York's Times Square, reportedly pulled off a midnight flight for Dubai just after the plane rolled out of the gate for takeoff from Kennedy International Airport. Two other people were also taken off the flight.

Attorney General Eric Holder held a rare middle-of-the-night news conference early today to announce the arrest of Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani-born and naturalized U.S. citizen who was living in Connecticut.

 
Personal Photo
This undated photo shows Faisal Shahzad, 30, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Pakistani descent who was arrested in connection with a failed bombing attempt in New York's Times Square.


The charges against Shahzad were not announced. The U.S. attorney's office in New York said he's due to appear in federal court in Manhattan today, where he'll be formally charged.

"The investigation is ongoing, as are our attempts to gather useful intelligence, and we continue to pursue a number of leads," Holder said. "But it's clear that the intent behind this terrorist act was to kill."

The suspect is believed to have recently returned from a five-month trip to Pakistan. Authorities say he paid cash for the Nissan Pathfinder that was found rigged with propane tanks, fertilizer and gasoline Saturday evening in Times Square. Witnesses alerted police to the smoking SUV, and the bomb was defused. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the device could have produced "a significant fireball" had it detonated properly.

Shahzad was arrested moments after the plane left the departure gate at New York's JFK airport and was taxiing toward the runway, The Washington Post reported. Two other people were taken off the Emirates airline flight, according to reports, although it was not known if they were connected to the case

A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that investigators have not found evidence that Shahzad is connected to international terrorism groups and that Shahzad said he didn't have help. "He's claimed to have acted alone, but these are things that have to be investigated," the official told the AP.

The U.S. attorney's office in New York would not comment today on whether there had been additional arrests or whether Shahzad had worked with foreign terror groups.

The sale of the Pathfinder a few weeks ago helped officials focus on Shahzad. Although its vehicle identification number had been removed from the dashboard, it was stamped on the engine, the AP reported, and officials used the number to find the owner of record, who told them it was sold to a stranger without paperwork.

Authorities found its previous owner, who had advertised it for sale on the Internet. An ad that appears to be for the Pathfinder said it had 141,000 miles and was in good condition. Shahzad reportedly paid $1,300 in cash for the vehicle.

"That was the key factor to our getting the guy so quick," an unidentified law enforcement official told the Post.

The investigation also focused on two Connecticut cities where Shahzad lived, Shelton and then Bridgeport.



In Bridgeport, authorities searched a home overnight and into this morning, removing plastic bags holding evidence, according to reports. The house was in a mixed-race, working-class neighborhood in the state's largest city, the AP reported.

A former neighbor in Shelton said Shahzad and his wife, Huma Mian, lived in the two-story colonial house for three years, spoke little English and mostly kept to themselves. Neighbor Brenda Thurman told The New York Times that Shahzad moved out in May 2009 and his wife about a month later. They have a young son and daughter, she said.

Shahzad was nicely dressed early each morning and told Thurman he worked on Wall Street, she said. "I think he caught the train to New York," she told the Times.

The arrest came after a sweeping two-day investigation in which officials said they uncovered a web of international and domestic clues that point to a plot involving more than one person.

Pakistani authorities pledged to help the U.S. bring Shahzad to justice

"We will cooperate with the United States in identifying this individual and bringing him to justice," Interior Minister Rehman Malik said, according to Reuters.

Authorities have been hesitant to comment on Shahzad's foreign links, though an unidentified U.S. official told the Post that investigators are scouring international phone records showing calls "between some of the people who might be associated with this and folks overseas." They've also uncovered evidence -- a piece of paper, fingerprints or possibly both -- that also indicates international ties, another official was quoted as saying.

"We continue to gather leads in this investigation, and it's important that the American people remain vigilant," Holder said. "As we move forward, we will focus on not just holding those responsible for it accountable but also on obtaining any intelligence about terrorist organizations overseas."

President Barack Obama has been briefed periodically about the investigation and arrest.

Police said that had the bomb detonated, it could have killed or wounded scores in a bustling tourist area home to dozens of restaurants and Broadway theaters. It's the most serious bombing attempt in the U.S. since the Christmas Day attempted attack aboard a commercial airliner bound for Detroit. In that case, the suspect was a young Nigerian man with ties to al-Qaida.
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