Times Square Bomb - by smh.com.au

Man arrested in Times Square Bomb – Who is He?

Police evacuated several residential and commercial building after the apparent bomb was discovered and cleared the street of people. About two hours, a police robot examines SUV without license plates parked in Times Square led police to block off part of the area.

A man from Connecticut, a naturalized US citizen from Pakistan who was believed that have recently bought that 1993 SUV – Nissan pathfinder. A person briefed on the investigation said that there was found loaded with propane, gasoline, fertilizer, and fireworks in the heart of Times Square.

His name is Mr. Faisal Shahzad who had returned recently from a trip to Pakistan. Still there were not announced but he was expected to be charged Tuesday in federal court. The investigation is ongoing, the police continue to pursue a number of leads, to lead to that night’s arrested; they have gathered significant additional evidence. The intent behind this terrorist act was to kill Americans it is clear.

Focusing on Mr. Shahzad, the authorities started after they tracked the sport utility vehicle to its previously registered owner in Bridgeport, Conn. He had advertised it for sale on several Web sites. Without any formal paperwork, the sale was handled; the former owner said the buyer paid cash.

In the failed attack, federal authorities presented some details on Monday night about the scope or suspect of any conspiracy in the failed attack. With people or groups overseas, in the attempted bombing, the man or the others who might have been involved had been in contact, according to federal officials.

The investigation of possible international contacts, the official continued that the investigation that it doesn’t mean they had established a connection to a known terrorist group.

By the Department of Homeland Security’s US Customs and Border Protection, after he was identified, Mr. Shahzad was taken into custody, according to joint statement issued by office of the Preet Bharara, for the southern district of New York the US attorney and the New York Police Department.

Just outside Bridgeport, at Mr. Shahzad’s former home in Shelton, Conn., early Tuesday, a neighbor said that Mr. Shahzad and his wife, Huma Mian, kept mostly to themselves, since they spoke limited English. They had 2 kids, a boy and a girl.

The neighbor said that before moving out last year, for about 3 years they had live at the house at 119 Long Hill Avenue. Mr. Shahzad’s wife followed about a month later after Mr. Shahzad left around May.

Mr. Shahzad got up early every morning as had been told to their neighborhood that he worked on Wall Street, so that he always left to work nicely dressed.

It was premature to label any person or group as suspect. The official cautions against premature decision one way or the other.

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