Faisal Shahzad admitted to his role in the attempted Times Square car bombing and also informed investigators that he received bomb-making training in his native Pakistan, U.S. officials have revealed. The 30-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, arrested late last night at JFK airport attempting to flee the country, reportedly confessed right away and “disclosed a connection” to a region in Pakistan near Afghanistan’s border that is known to be a Taliban and al-Qaeda hotbed.
“After the arrest, Shahzad admitted that he had attempted to detonate a bomb in Times Square,” the FBI complaint, which lists five charges against Shahzad, states. “He also admitted that he had recently received bomb-making training in Waziristan, Pakistan.”
Attorney General Eric Holder said Shahzad has “provided useful information to authorities,” and he is said to be cooperating with the investigation. His first court appearance, which had been scheduled for today, was indefinitely postponed without explanation.
The complaint also states that Shahzad revealed to federal agents that he received a “series of phone calls” from Pakistan after he purchased the 1993 Nissan Pathfinder on April 24 that was used in the bomb attempt.
Times Square bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad said to implicate himself; probe expands to Pakistan [WP]
