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Times Square Bomb Suspect Pleads Guilty

   VOA News 21 June 2010

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

   In  this  courtroom  sketch,  a U.S. Marshall removes Faisal Shahzad's
   handcuffs in the courtroom Monday, June 21, 2010, in New York. Shahzad
   pleaded  guilty to carrying out the failed Times Square car bombing in
   U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

   The  Pakistani-born  man  accused  in a failed attempt to ignite a car
   bomb  in New York City's Times Square last month has pleaded guilty to
   all charges against him.
   Faisal  Shahzad  entered his plea Monday during an arraignment hearing
   at  a  Manhattan  courthouse.   He  was facing 10 different counts of
   weapons  and terrorism charges, including attempted use of a weapon of
   mass destruction.
   Shahzad said in court that he considers himself a Muslim soldier.  He
   said  that  unless  the  United  States leaves Muslim lands, including
   Afghanistan and Iraq, he and others would attack it.
   Prosecutors alleged that Shahzad, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen, received
   explosives  training  from the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-e-Taliban) in
   the  western  tribal  region  of  Waziristan,  as well as $12,000 from
   co-conspirators who he believed worked for that group.
   The  defendant  was  arrested  May  3  after  law  enforcement  agents
   connected  him to a vehicle parked in Times Square with a crude bomb.Â
   He  was  tracked  down  and removed from an airplane as it prepared to
   leave New York for Dubai.  He faces life in prison on the charges.
   Pakistani authorities have arrested several people since the attempted
   attack.  But no one has been formally charged.
   Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

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