Car bomb almost goes off in NYC

[FreekiN]

Petraeus: Faisal Shahzad Acted Alone

WASHINGTON — The Times Square bombing suspect apparently operated as a "lone wolf" who did not work with other terrorists, according to the general who oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But investigators believe he had some bomb-making training in Pakistan, a second senior military official said.

Gen. David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, said in a statement Friday to The Associated Press that alleged bomber Faisal Shahzad was inspired by militants in Pakistan but didn't necessarily have direct contact with them.

The senior U.S. military official adds investigators believe Shahzad's explosives training may have been sponsored in part by the Pakistani Taliban. But the official said it is not clear where in Pakistan Shahzad trained, nor what quality of training he received. The failed bomb appeared to be poorly built, investigators said.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is continuing. Shahzad was arrested aboard an Emirates Airlines jet in New York, just minutes before it was scheduled to take off for Dubai.

Shahzad has told investigators he trained in the lawless tribal areas of Waziristan, where both al-Qaida and the Pakistani Taliban operate.

Investigators have also not been able to establish whether he was recruited for the Times Square operation by the Pakistani Taliban, or another militant group – or whether Shahzad came up with the attack plan himself, as he has told investigators, the official said.

Investigators believe Shahzad also may have been inspired by fugitive al-Qaida cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, according to the senior official. The cleric's Internet sermons are popular among extremist Muslims. However, the investigators have not been able to establish that Shahzad had direct communications with the cleric, an American citizen hiding in Yemen.

 

[FreekiN]

US satisfied with Pakistan's help in bomb probe

WASHINGTON — The United States is "very satisfied" with the help it is getting from Islamabad as it investigates a Pakistani-American's alleged attempt to set off a bomb in New York, US officials said Monday.
"We're very satisfied by the cooperation we're getting on this particular investigation thus far," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.
He said the government of Pakistan had already acted aggressively against the Taliban, and said the United States would "evaluate whether additional steps" were necessary.
US Attorney General Eric Holder on Sunday accused the Pakistani Taliban of being behind the failed May 1 bid to detonate a car bomb in Times Square, foiled when a street vendor spotted smoke coming from the vehicle.
"We've now developed evidence that shows that the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack," Holder said Sunday on ABC television's current affairs talk show "This Week."
"We know that they helped facilitate it. We know that they probably helped finance it, and that he was working at their direction."
Faisal Shahzad, the 30-year-old son of a Pakistani air force officer, was pulled off a plane to Dubai and arrested last Monday for allegedly leaving a sport utility vehicle rigged to explode in New York's Times Square.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has starkly warned of "very severe consequences" if a terror attack against the United States were traced back to Pakistan.
"We've made it very clear that if -- heaven-forbid -- an attack like this that we can trace back to Pakistan were to have been successful, there would be very severe consequences," Clinton told CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday.
Clinton said there had been a "sea change" in cooperation by Pakistani authorities, but she added: "We want more."

 

[xMustiiej70]

US satisfied with Pakistan's help in bomb probe

WASHINGTON — The United States is "very satisfied" with the help it is getting from Islamabad as it investigates a Pakistani-American's alleged attempt to set off a bomb in New York, US officials said Monday.
"We're very satisfied by the cooperation we're getting on this particular investigation thus far," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.
He said the government of Pakistan had already acted aggressively against the Taliban, and said the United States would "evaluate whether additional steps" were necessary.
US Attorney General Eric Holder on Sunday accused the Pakistani Taliban of being behind the failed May 1 bid to detonate a car bomb in Times Square, foiled when a street vendor spotted smoke coming from the vehicle.
"We've now developed evidence that shows that the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack," Holder said Sunday on ABC television's current affairs talk show "This Week."
"We know that they helped facilitate it. We know that they probably helped finance it, and that he was working at their direction."
Faisal Shahzad, the 30-year-old son of a Pakistani air force officer, was pulled off a plane to Dubai and arrested last Monday for allegedly leaving a sport utility vehicle rigged to explode in New York's Times Square.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has starkly warned of "very severe consequences" if a terror attack against the United States were traced back to Pakistan.
"We've made it very clear that if -- heaven-forbid -- an attack like this that we can trace back to Pakistan were to have been successful, there would be very severe consequences," Clinton told CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday.
Clinton said there had been a "sea change" in cooperation by Pakistani authorities, but she added: "We want more."

Funny ****.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

But Mr. Zolfiqar, there is no evidence that Mr. Shahzad "suffered" from the global economic crisis. He quit his job. He stopped making his mortgage payments

''I THINK'' is the key word here.

He, apparently, decided to change his life for personal reasons having nothing to do with the "global economic crisis". Why did you post the above???

All speculation. Therefore, why do you ask?

 

[fawwaxs]

FACT There have been 3 terrorist plots aimed at America that advanced to practical execution: 1993 bombing of the New York Trade Towers, 9/11 n Faisal Shahzad’s attempt. The only Pakistani known to have been involved in these attacks was Shahzad. Attack failed, no one was hurt! Out of the approximately 3,000 people in the US who died in attacks in which terrorists participated, not one was killed by a Pakistani.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

there were several Pakistanis who were killed in 9/11 attacks (in the buildings, and on the ground)

dont forget that either

 

[karan.1970]

FACT There have been 3 terrorist plots aimed at America that advanced to practical execution: 1993 bombing of the New York Trade Towers, 9/11 n Faisal Shahzad’s attempt. The only Pakistani known to have been involved in these attacks was Shahzad. Attack failed, no one was hurt! Out of the approximately 3,000 people in the US who died in attacks in which terrorists participated, not one was killed by a Pakistani.

You are right. However the linkage to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is a little murlier. He was born to Pakistani parents while they were in Kuwait, wasnt he?? And then came back to Pakistan for some time after joining Muslim brotherhood..

I am not aware of citizenship rules of Pakistan, but in India, if a child is born abroad of Indian parents, he retains the option till the age of 18 when he has to make a choice between the 2 countries.. How does it work in Pakistan

 

[fawwaxs]

CAIRO: The man who pleaded guilty to carrying out the attempted Times Square car bombing appeared in a video recorded before the failed attack that shows him meeting with senior Pakistani Taliban leaders and vowing to strike the US.

In the video, aired in segments Wednesday by the Dubai-based television station Al-Arabiya, Faisal Shahzad said the attack on the New York City landmark would avenge the deaths of Muslims killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

''All the Muslim Arabs that have been martyred _ I will take revenge on their behalf,'' he said. ''I really wish that the hearts of the Muslims will be pleased with this attack, God willing.''

One of the figures he praises as a martyr is Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the former leader of al-Qaida in Iraq who was killed in a US airstrike in Iraq in 2006.

Shahzad, 30, is seen in the video sitting on the ground in a black turban and olive-colored vest, with an AK-47 next to him. He calls jihad, or holy war, a pillar of the Muslim faith, and says ''Islam will spread on the whole world and democracy will be defeated.''

''Eight years has passed by Afghanistan, and you will see that the Muslim war has just started,'' he said.

Al-Arabiya said the full tape shows Shahzad meeting with Pakistani Taliban Hakimullah Mehsud.

IntelCenter, a US-based group that monitors extremist groups, said Mehsud and Shahzad shake hands in the video. IntelCenter also says the video bears the mark of the Pakistani Taliban's media arm, Umar Media.

Analysts said the Pakistani Taliban appears to be trying to use the video as a means of boosting the reputation of Mehsud and reminding the Pakistani Taliban's supporters that they can hit the US on American soil.

Evan Kohlmann, an analyst at globalterroralert.com, a private, US-based terrorism analysis group, said that such a video ''can significantly prolong the visceral impact of even an unsuccessful operation.''— AP