UPDATE: Formal charges have been filed against Faisal Shahzad in the Southern District of New York. He has been charged with violating 18 U.S.C. §§ 2332a, 2332b, 924 (c) (1) (A), 844, which relate to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, knowingly and willfully attempt to cause harm to persons in the United States and transport a destructive device with intent to harm individuals and damage buildings. Read the full complaint (PDF).
Authorities have labeled the failed bombing in Times Square as an attempted terrorist attack.
“It is clear that this was a terrorist plot,” Attorney General Eric Holder said during a press conference this afternoon. He stressed that the investigation is ongoing.
News reports state that Shahzad has cooperated with authorities, and new details have emerged.
ABC News reports that Pakistani officials have detained at least five people in connection with the Times Square plot, and two men who have been arrested have ties to Shahzad. One of those men is his father-in-law.
New details about Shahzad have also emerged. According to the Wall Street Journal:
- He received an F-1 student visa in 1998
- He earned an undergraduate degree in computer science and engineering from University of Bridgeport, Conn.
- He received a three-year H1-B visa for skilled workers and attained an M.B.A degree in 2002
- He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on April 17, 2009
According to ABC News, he worked as a junior financial analyst in the Stamford, CT office of the Affinion Group, an international marketing firm, from mid-2006 to 2009.
CNN reports that even though Shahzad was on a “no fly” list, his name appeared on the manifest at the last minute, allowing him to board an Emirates Airlines plane bound for Dubai. He made his airline reservation by phone while riding in a taxi cab to the airport, and purchased a ticket at the ticket counter, paying for it in cash. Emirates Airlines staff, according to CNN, found that unusual and immediately alerted airport security officials.
CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffery Toobin outlines what to expect from the hearing, and that a big unanswered question is whether or not Shahzad acted alone.
Further reading: ABC News, CNN latest Times Square car bomb scare updates, CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffery Toobin, Wall Street Journal Shahzad profile
