Times Square Bomb Suspect Pleads Guilty In NYC

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Times Square Bomb Suspect Pleads Guilty In NYC

CBS News Interactive: America On Guard

NEW YORK (CBS) ―

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A Pakistan-born U.S. citizen has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge accusing him of plotting the failed Times Square car bombing.

Faisal Shahzad entered the plea to the first of 10 charges in an indictment, but said he plans to plead guilty to all of them.

He told the judge he wanted to "plead guilty and 100 times more." He also warned that unless the U.S. leaves Muslim lands, "We will be attacking U.S."

Faisal Shahzad was indicted on 10 counts, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, CBS station WCBS-TV reports.

• Count 1 – Attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, life in prison.

• Count 2 – Conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, life in prison.
• Count 3 – Possession of a firearm during and in relation to a conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, life in prison.*
• Count 4 – Attempted act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, life in prison.
• Count 5 – Conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, life in prison.
• Count 6 – Attempted use of a destructive device during and in relation to a conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, life in prison.*
• Count 7 – Transportation of an explosive, 10 years in prison.
• Count 8 – Conspiracy to transport an explosive, 10 years in prison.
• Count 9 – Attempted destruction of property by fire and explosive, 20 years in prison.*
• Count 10 – Conspiracy to destroy property by fire and explosive, 20 years in prison.*

"The facts alleged in this indictment show that the Pakistani Taliban facilitated Faisal Shahzad's attempted attack on American soil," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "Our nation averted serious loss of life in this attempted bombing, but it is a reminder that we face an evolving threat that we must continue to fight with every tool available to the government."


Click here to read the entire indictment against Shahzad.

Shahzad was arrested two days after the May 1 bombing attempt. He was taken into custody at JFK Airport after boarding a plane heading to Dubai.

"I believe the entire United States has become a new front in that we're going to find more and more instances of al Qaeda and al Qaeda affiliates recruiting people lawfully in the United States," said Rep. Peter King, R-Long Island.

Prosecutors also lay out a timeline that began in December 2009, when Shahzad allegedly received explosives training from a militant extremist group in Pakistan. A few months later, an informant made the first of two payments to Shahzad, one for $5,000 and the other for 7,000.

Shahzad allegedly used to buy a 9-millimeter rifle and the used Nissan Pathfinder that was abandoned in Times Square. The SUV was filed with a poorly improvised patchwork of explosives.

Investigators said thanks to Shahzad's own incompetence and the vigilance of a Times Square street vendor, the car bomb failed to accomplish its goal of wreaking death and destruction in the heart of Times Square during the busy Broadway show weekend rush.

Shahzad's cooperation led to raids and arrests across the Northeast, including Long Island. Congressman King said the battle front in the war on terror has clearly shifted to our shores, and Suffolk County is a primary area of concern.

"There has been some concern among law enforcement for quite a while now about Suffolk County, about some locations in Suffolk County and some of the individuals in Suffolk County," Rep. King said.

King isn't saying al Qaeda operatives are living on Long Island, but he said it's not surprising that Shahzad picked up money for his plot at a Dunkin' Donuts shop in Ronkonkoma.

http://cbs3.com/topstories/faisal.sh...2.1764146.html