M A I N   N E W S

New York plot suspect to face terror charge

Faisal, a Pak-origin man was picked up from Emirates’ NY-Dubai flight He had recently returned from Peshawar

A photo of Faisal Shahzad (as identified by neighbours in Connecticut) posted on social networking site Orkut.com. — AP/PTI

Washington, May 4
The Pakistani-American believed to have planned a car bomb attack in New York’s Times Square will be charged with an act of terrorism and the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, US Attorney General Eric Holder said here today.

The suspect, Faisal Shahzad, was being questioned and had provided useful information to the authorities since his arrest, Holder said. He declined to say whether others were involved in the plot.

“This was a terrorist plot aimed at murdering Americans in one of the busiest places in our country,” he told a news conference.

“We believe that this suspected terrorist fashioned a bomb ... with the intent to kill as many innocent tourists and theatre-goers as possible,” he said.

Shahzad, a naturalised US citizen born in Pakistan, was arrested late on Monday at John F Kennedy International Airport after being removed from an aeroplane as it was about to take off for Dubai. He was placed on the US no-fly list hours before boarding the plane.

The Attorney General also said he had no reason to believe at this time that the failed bombing attempt on Saturday was connected to the plot last year by an Afghan immigrant to conduct suicide bombings in the New York City subway system.

Shahzad, 30, was due to appear in federal court later on Tuesday. Holder said he would be charged with an act of terrorism transcending national borders, attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction as well as explosives charges, among others.

Shahzad is suspected of buying a 1993 Nissan sport utility vehicle used to carry the crude bomb, made of fuel and fireworks, into Times Square. — Reuters