Top U.S. officials: Pakistani Taliban behind NY bomb attempt
Two senior U.S. officials say the United States has evidence that the Pakistani Taliban was behind the failed attempt to explode a car bomb in New York City.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told ABC news ("This Week") Sunday investigators have developed evidence that links Pakistani-born U.S. citizen Faisal Shahzad to the Taliban in Pakistan. Holder said Shahzad was "working at their direction" when he tried to set off the bomb in Times Square on May 1.
Deputy U.S. National Security Adviser for Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism John Brennan said in an interview with Fox television that Shahzad received training from the Pakistani Taliban and it appears the group funded his bombing attempt.
The 30-year-old Shahzad was arrested Monday as he was about to leave the United States, and he has been charged with trying to detonate a crude but powerful car bomb in New York City last Saturday.
Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said his government is investigating reports that Shahzad had visited South Waziristan, the tribal region in northwestern Pakistan, and met with Pakistani Taliban commanders including Hakimullah Mehsud, who has threatened to launch attacks against the United States. However, the interior minister said details of Shahzad's past activities in Pakistan have not yet been confirmed.
The Pakistani Taliban says it neither trained nor recruited Shahzad, and has disclaimed any links to the accused bombmaker. An earlier statement attributed to the Pakistani Taliban had said the group was responsible for the failed attack in New York.
U.S. officials have said Shahzad is cooperating with investigators. They say he had told them he was trained in handling and preparing explosives during a visit to Pakistan.
VOA News
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