Tag Archives: Times Square bombing attempt

Republican Peter King calls for Times Square news leak investigation

Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), a senior Republican on the House Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to the Department of Justice Thursday requesting an investigation into news leaks related to the attempted bombing in Times Square and subsequent arrest of a suspect, Faisal Shahzad.

According to a copy of the letter sent to Attorney General Eric Holder, King stated that from “the abundance of meticulous details reported by the media, it seems evident that classified information was repeatedly leaked to the media as the investigation unfolded.” He listed a series of examples, including a breaking news report from the Washington Post saying the attempted attack had international terrorism ties, a Fox News Channel report about an investigation in the suspect’s hometown in Bridgeport, Conn., and a news item that the suspect was a naturalized American citizen of Pakistani descent.

King claimed these leaks present “a dangerous pattern that could undermine the entire investigation, risk lives of law enforcement officers, and jeopardize the ability to achieve convictions.” He also stated that the “systemic leaking” is “deeply troubling and criminally negligent,” and he listed several reasons why investigations are routinely kept confidential, including protecting the  safety of witnesses, and not disclosing progress to targets of investigation.

While King referred to leaks, he did not mention the amount of speculation that surrounds this and other incidents as investigators search for suspects and motives and journalists aim to uncover  developments.

On Sunday morning, shortly after the bomb was discovered,  Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said there was no evidence that the bomb attempt was anything other than a “one-off” event.  Sen. Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, also suggested “the odds are quite high that this was a lone wolf.”

King himself speculated that the car bomb was a possible retaliation by Islamic terrorists because it was found near the headquarters of Viacom, the company that owns the Comedy Central network that recently censored an episode of the cartoon show “Show Park” depicting the Prophet Muhammad.  Displaying an image of Muhammad is considered offensive by many Muslims.  King said the “South Park” theory was “one possibility out of a hundred.”

King called on Holder and the Justice Department to “initiate an investigation to ensure this never occurs again.”  Even as King sent that letter,  Pakistani security officials and news reports claim that the suspect may be linked to the Pakistani Taliban and a Kashmiri Islamist group.

Full text of King’s letter:

May 6, 2010
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 5111
Washington, DC 20530

Dear Attorney General Holder:

I am writing today to request an investigation into the leaking of classified and sensitive information pertaining to the investigation of Islamic jihadist Faisal Shahzad.  Due to the abundance of meticulous details reported by the media, it seems evident that classified information was repeatedly leaked to the media as the investigation unfolded.  Disturbingly, Shahzad nearly escaped to Dubai – perhaps as a result of the leaks – which only served to endanger the lives of law enforcement officers and civilians.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on May 4, 2010, on our about Monday, May 3, 2010, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Connecticut-based (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) met with the individual who sold Shahzad the Nissan Pathfinder SUV used as a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) during the attack in Times Square.  During this meeting, the individual was shown a sketch and six photos and positively identified Shahzad as the buyer of the Pathfinder.

Throughout the afternoon of May 3rd leaks from the Administration provided details of the ongoing investigation, which, after the arrest, turned out to be accurate.  For instance, at 2:26 p.m., a breaking news alert from the Washington Post cited Obama Administration officials characterizing the investigation as a terrorist plot with international links.  At 6:01 p.m, Fox News Channel reported that law enforcement authorities were investigating aspects of the case in Bridgeport, CT, the residence of Shahzad.  Later that evening, at 7:01 p.m., Fox News Channel reported that law enforcement authorities had identified a person of interest and that he was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Pakistan. Also, television stations were alerted and in the early evening sent their trucks to the neighborhood where Shahzad lived, apparently to cover his arrest.

Later that evening, at 11:45 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested Shahzad at John F. Kennedy International Airport onboard Emirates Airlines Fight 202 en route to Dubai attempting to evade capture.  Shortly thereafter, at a press conference in the early morning of Tuesday, May 4th, you revealed that Shahzad was indeed a naturalized American citizen of Pakistani descent, confirming the Fox News Channel report five hours earlier.

One of many leaks, this illustrates a dangerous pattern that could undermine the entire investigation, risk lives of law enforcement officers, and jeopardize the ability to achieve convictions.

As you stated during your press conference Tuesday morning, this investigation was fast moving.  That said, had Shahzad been watching news reports on May 3rd that the FBI was in hot pursuit of a Pakistan born naturalized American citizen residing in Bridgeport, CT it could well have caused him to attempt to evade capture by going to the airport to leave the country.  In any event, I find this systemic leaking to be deeply troubling and criminally negligent.

As the top law enforcement officer in the United States, I am sure you are aware that investigations are kept confidential for several important reasons, including protecting the integrity of the investigation, protecting the safety of witnesses, and not disclosing progress to targets of investigation.  It is particularly troubling and disturbing that all evidence indicates that these leaks could only have come from sources within the Administration who had special access to the most sensitive details of this investigation.  You are responsible for the security of classified and sensitive information pertaining to ongoing terrorism investigations.  Therefore, to protect the lives of law enforcement officers and ensure the integrity of future investigations, I request you immediately initiate an investigation to ensure this never occurs again.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 202.226.8417.

Sincerely,

PETER T. KING

Member of Congress

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Security lapses prompt changes to no-fly list

Details of Faisal Shahzad and how he was able to board an airplane despite being on put on the no-fly list continue to emerge, prompting the Department of Homeland Security to enact changes.

The New York Times reports two significant security lapses:

  1. An F.B.I surveillance team lost track of Shahzad after locating him in Connecticut prior to him leaving for the airport
  2. Emirates Airlines failed to act on an electronic message at midday on Monday notifying all carriers to check the no-fly list for an important added name

It was a routine check, when boarding was complete, showed Shahzad was on the no-fly list and had boarded a plane. The routine check involved sending the final passenger list to National Targeting Center, operated in Virginia by Customs and Border Protection, according to the Times.

CNN reports that airlines will be required to check the no-fly list within two hours, not within 24 hours, of being electronically notified of additions or changes.

Further reading: CNN Time Square bomb investigation updates, New York Times Topics – Times Square Bomb Attempt

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Times Square attempted bombing labeled attempted terrorist attack

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

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Digital trail leads to Times Square suspect

Politico reports this morning on the digital trail that lead to the arrest of a suspect last night in the failed Times Square bombing.

Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani-born American, was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York last night. Federal officials followed a digital trail after obtaining the Nissan Pathfinder’s vehicle identification number from another part of the S.U.V. By tracking down the previous owner in Connecticut, officials learned the vehicle was sold through an ad posted on the website Craigslist.

Officials were able to get the number of a disposable cell phone used by the buyer of the vehicle. “Using a lot of technology” and databases, officials were able to track and then locate Shahzad at J.F.K. airport where he was arrested last night.

According to the New York Times, the S.U.V. belonged to a woman Bridgeport, Conn., who advertised the vehicle on various websites, including Craigslist. Cash was paid for the vehicle, and no formal record of the sale was kept. The Times also reports that the Pathfinder may yield more clues. Since the bomb failed to go off, the vehicle as well as all the bomb-making materials remain intact. Officials “have been dusting the outside of the Pathfinder for fingerprints. Inside, they can search for traces of hair or skin cells that might have sloughed off on a steering wheel or a seat cover. They may find literature tucked into a glove box, or some food under a seat,” according to the Times.

Shahzad is expected to be formally charged this morning in New York.

Further reading: Politico article on the digital trail, New York Times article on the arrest and on on vehicle evidence

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Investigation into failed Times Square car bombing continues

More information has been released in relation to the failed car bomb in Times Square this past weekend.

Reports say that officials continue to review surveillance footage from over 80 cameras posted in Times Square, as well as video footage from a tourist. The surveillance footage shows a white man, most likely in hi 40s, walking away from the Nissan Pathfinder as he looked over his shoulder and removed a layer of clothing.

The New York Times reports that the S.U.V. was taken to a forensics center in Jamaica, Queens, and that investigators are working on determining where the three canisters of propane and two red plastic five-gallon containers of gasoline in the S.U.V. had been purchased. Since the propane, firecrackers and gasoline containers can be purchased at any home supply store, reports indicate that investigators are focusing on the eight bags of fertilizer. The fertilizer is likely to be easiest to trace, according to the New York Times.

The New York Daily News reports that investigators have identified and tracked down the owner of the vehicle, but are still working to identify the man in the video. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, on the “Today” show, stressed that the man in the video may not become a suspect, and that officials are pursuing a number of leads.

A Taliban group in Pakistan posted a video on YouTube claiming responsibility, but the Washington Times reports that Bloomberg says there is no “legitimate” evidence that any known terrorists groups are connected to the failed car bomb. That echoes a statement made by Raymond W. Kelly, the New York City police commissioner, who reminded people that terrorist acts can be conducted by individuals, not just groups.

The investigation is on going.

Further reading: New York Times article and video footage, Washington Times, Washington Post, New York Daily News, FBI statement

Related: National security implications of persistent surveillance

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