ARREST IN NEW YORK TIMES SQUARE BOMB
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TIMES SQUARE BOMBING COWARD
ARRESTED TRYING TO LEAVE COUNTRY
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TIMES SQUARE BOMBING COWARD
ARRESTED TRYING TO LEAVE COUNTRY
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U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder responds to reporters
questions following the arrest of Pakistani-American
Faisal Shahzad late Monday night.
A 30-year-old Pakistani-American is now facing charges in the botched Times Square car bombing. The suspect told authorities after he was pulled off a midnight flight for Dubai that he acted alone, according to media reports. Attorney General Eric Holder held a middle-of-the-night press conference early today to announce the arrest of Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani-born and naturalized U.S. citizen who was living in Connecticut.The charges against Shahzad were not announced as of yet. The U.S. attorney's office in New York said he's due to appear in federal court in New York City today, where he'll be formally charged with the crimes. "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 said 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 night in Times Square, which was packed with thousands of people. Sidewalk vendors alerted the 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 John F. Kennedy airport and was taxiing toward the runway, when it was stopped. Law enforcement officials told several media outlets that Shahzad claims to have acted alone but stressed that the investigation is ongoing. "He's claimed to have acted alone, but these are things that have to be investigated," an unidentified official told The Associated Press. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is thanking authorities for working around the clock to make the arrest."This was an act that was designed to kill innocent civilians and strike fear into the hearts of Americans," he said. "I'm happy to say it failed on both counts." He said "we will not be intimated by those who hate the freedoms that make the city and this country so great," nor will New York "tolerate any bias or backlash against Pakistani or Muslim New Yorkers."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, 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. The Pathfinder was reportedly sold by 19-year-old college student Peggy Colas of Bridgeport. She was interviewed by authorities after they traced the vehicle's ID number to her, according to reports. Her family told the New York Post that the 'for sale' sign that had been in the Pathfinder was taken by police so they could check for prints. She refused to comment, telling the Post: "How do you know I sold the car?" The investigation also focused on two Connecticut cities where Shahzad lived, Shelton and then Bridgeport. The New York Post is also reporting that as many as eight other suspects have been arrested.
questions following the arrest of Pakistani-American
Faisal Shahzad late Monday night.
A 30-year-old Pakistani-American is now facing charges in the botched Times Square car bombing. The suspect told authorities after he was pulled off a midnight flight for Dubai that he acted alone, according to media reports. Attorney General Eric Holder held a middle-of-the-night press conference early today to announce the arrest of Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani-born and naturalized U.S. citizen who was living in Connecticut.The charges against Shahzad were not announced as of yet. The U.S. attorney's office in New York said he's due to appear in federal court in New York City today, where he'll be formally charged with the crimes. "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 said 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 night in Times Square, which was packed with thousands of people. Sidewalk vendors alerted the 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 John F. Kennedy airport and was taxiing toward the runway, when it was stopped. Law enforcement officials told several media outlets that Shahzad claims to have acted alone but stressed that the investigation is ongoing. "He's claimed to have acted alone, but these are things that have to be investigated," an unidentified official told The Associated Press. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is thanking authorities for working around the clock to make the arrest."This was an act that was designed to kill innocent civilians and strike fear into the hearts of Americans," he said. "I'm happy to say it failed on both counts." He said "we will not be intimated by those who hate the freedoms that make the city and this country so great," nor will New York "tolerate any bias or backlash against Pakistani or Muslim New Yorkers."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, 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. The Pathfinder was reportedly sold by 19-year-old college student Peggy Colas of Bridgeport. She was interviewed by authorities after they traced the vehicle's ID number to her, according to reports. Her family told the New York Post that the 'for sale' sign that had been in the Pathfinder was taken by police so they could check for prints. She refused to comment, telling the Post: "How do you know I sold the car?" The investigation also focused on two Connecticut cities where Shahzad lived, Shelton and then Bridgeport. The New York Post is also reporting that as many as eight other suspects have been arrested.
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