"On Monday, Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan, was arrested in connection with his alleged role in last Saturday’s attempted car bombing in Times Square. On Tuesday, he was charged with acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, and other federal crimes. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence in prison.
During ongoing questioning by federal agents, Shahzad has provided useful information, and we will continue to pursue a number of leads as we gather intelligence relating to this attempted attack. Although this car bomb failed to properly detonate, this plot was yet another reminder that terrorists are still plotting to kill Americans. In February, Najibullah Zazi, a key participant in the plot to bomb New York City’s subway system, pleaded guilty to terrorism violations. Less than two weeks ago, we secured another guilty plea from one of Zazi’s co-conspirators and revealed the role of senior al-Qaeda leaders in ordering the plot. Three others also have been charged as a result of our investigation.
These attempted attacks are stark reminders of the threats that we, as a nation, confront."