FBI agents inspect evidence in the garage of a house in Bridgeport, Conn. Faisal Shahzad, a US citizen who had recently returned from a five-month trip to his native Pakistan, was arrested at a New York airport on charges that he drove a bomb-laden SUV meant to cause a fireball in Times Square, federal authorities said. –AP Photo/Mark Lennihan


The suspect, a 30-year old Pakistan-born US citizen, Faisal Shahzad, appeared in a Federal Court in Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon to face charges on his alleged involvement in the botched car-bombing.

“We anticipate charging him with an act of terrorism transcending national borders, attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, use of a destructive device during the commission of another crime, and explosives charges,” US Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters.

“Justice will be done, and we will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people,” said President Obama.

“We will protect and defend the country we love to ensure a safe and prosperous future for our people. That’s what I intend to do as president and that’s what we will do as a nation.”

Mr Obama also vowed not to allow terrorists to intimidate Americans.

“As Americans and as a nation we will not be terrorised. We will not cower in fear,” he said at the start of a speech to the US Business Council. “We will not be intimidated.”

Mr Obama noted that the attack was thwarted by “ordinary citizens” who were vigilant and reported suspicious activity, and by authorities who did what they were trained to do.

“This incident is another sobering reminder of the times in which we live,” he said.

“Around the world and here at home there are those who would attack our citizens and who would slaughter innocent men, women and children in pursuit of their murderous agenda. They will stop at nothing to kill and disrupt our way of life.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the White House said President Obama had been briefed six times on Monday by his homeland security adviser, John Brennan, about the investigation. Mr Brennan notified him of the arrest of Faisal Shahzad just after midnight.

Attorney General Holder said that Faisal, a resident of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was arrested on Monday night at New York’s JFK Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Dubai.

“Over the course of the day (Monday), we had gathered significant additional evidence that led to tonight’s arrest,” Mr Holder said.

Faisal was already aboard Emirates flight 202 when a US Department of Homeland Security team identified him as the man who had parked an explosive-laden SUV in Times Square on Saturday. The vehicle was rigged with a crude propane-and-gasoline bomb.

Officials called the plane back. All of the passengers were taken off, and they, their luggage and the Boeing 777 were screened before the flight was allowed to depart, about seven hours late, at 6:29 a.m. It was not immediately known when Faisal had bought his ticket. Emirates said in a statement that a total of three passengers were removed from the plane.

The other two Pakistanis were apparently held because their names resembled Faisal’s. They were released after interrogation.

Attorney General Holder also indicated working with Pakistani authorities to trace others who might have been involved in the bombing plot.

“We are coordinating with other members of the President’s national security team to ensure we use every resource available to the United States to bring anyone responsible to justice,” he said.

The US president’s office has apparently been involved to expedite cooperation with Pakistani intelligence agencies.

“Based on what we know so far, it is clear that this was a terrorist plot aimed at murdering Americans in one of the busiest places in this country,” said Mr Holder.

“We believe this suspected terrorist fashioned a bomb from rudimentary ingredients, placed it in a rusty SUV and drove it into Times Square with the intent to kill as many innocent tourists and theatre-goers as possible,” he said.

“Make no mistake – although this car bomb failed to properly detonate – this plot was a serious attempt. If successful, it could have resulted in a lethal terrorist attack causing death and destruction in the heart of New York City.”

In December 1998, Faisal received an F-1 student visa. Immigration officials noted then that there was “no derogatory information” on him in any database.

He first attended Southeastern University in Washington, DC, and then transferred in 2000 to the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he received a B.A. in computer science and engineering.

In April, 2002, he was granted an H1-B visa for skilled workers; he stayed in the US for three years on that visa and gained an M.B.A. It is not clear what company sponsored the visa, which is used to attract workers with a “specialty occupation”, such as information technology.

Then on October 20, 2008, he reported his marriage to a woman he identified as Huma Asif Mian, an American citizen. He became a naturalised US citizen on April 17, 2009.

Database information indicates shortly after Faisal became a naturalised American citizen, he travelled to the United Arab Emirates. He previously left the United States on June 2, 2009, aboard Emirates Flight 204 for Dubai, and last entered the US on Feb. 3, 2010, aboard Emirates Flight 201.

US counter-terrorism experts say Faisal’s travels raise questions about possible ties to international terrorists, but officials still have not established any firm links to Al Qaeda or any other terror group.

Investigators say Faisal has known connections in Pakistan, but the nature of those connections – whether they are family, friends or individuals associated with a terrorist group – remains unclear.

At least two videos have surfaced showing leaders of the Pakistani Taliban claiming responsibility for the attempted bombing. Those claims were initially dismissed, but a Pakistani government official told reporters that US intelligence officials had been in contact with their Pakistani counterparts as part of the ongoing investigation.

Apparently, Faisal was at his apartment in Connecticut on Monday night when details began leaking in the media that the FBI was looking for a Pakistani-American. This prompted him to try and run, although it is still unclear when he purchased his ticket to Pakistan via Dubai.

“He’s admitted to buying the truck, putting the devices together, putting them in the truck, leaving the truck there and leaving the scene,” a US law-enforcement official told reporters.

“He’s claimed to have acted alone. He did admit to all the charges, so to speak,” the source said, adding that investigators were still looking into his activities during a recent trip to Pakistan.

Faisal reportedly told interrogators that he learned bomb-making at a camp in North Waziristan during a recent five-month trip to Pakistan.

When asked to comment on the reported admission, Attorney General Holder characterised the botched attack as one that “transcended national borders”.

Source: Dawn News





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