05/05/2010, 00.00
PAKISTAN - USA
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Man behind failed New York attack accepts charges. Friends and relatives in Pakistan arrested

He will be charged with international terrorism and use of weapons of mass destruction. He confessed that he spent five months in Waziristan in a training centre for terrorists. He claims to have acted alone, but U.S. officials suspected links with Pakistani groups. Arrests in Nazimabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

New York (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Shahazad Faisal, head of the failed Times Square attack, has acknowledged being involved and has been accused of terrorism. He told police he had acted alone. Meanwhile, police in Pakistan have detained some people linked to Faisal, among them relatives and friends.

Eric Holder, U.S. Minister of Justice said that the Pakistani naturalized American was snatched at the last minute as he was about to board a plane to Dubai and then on to Pakistan. He "admits being involved” and he will be accused of" act of international terrorism "and" attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. "

According to representatives of American government, Shahazad is the person who purchased the car - filled with explosives – and who drove it to Times Square May 1. The coup failed because the car was discovered and the explosive defused.

Shahazad ha dichiarato di aver fatto tutto da solo, ma le autorità Usa pensano vi siano collegamenti con il Pakistan.

The 30 year old man obtained American citizenship a few months before returning to Pakistan on February 3 last. He told immigration services that he "had spent five months” with his family and his wife had remained in his country of origin. After his arrest he said that during the five months he was trained in making bombs in Waziristan, where there are centres for terrorist recruitment.

Shahazad said he did everything himself, but U.S. officials believe there are links with Pakistan.

Shortly after his statement, the Pakistani authorities that they had arrested two people in Nazimabad linked to Shahazad: Tausef friend and his father in law Mian Iftikhan. According to sources in the country, his wife Huma Mian and two sons are in Pakistan.

Shahazad is the son of Baharul Haq a-retired deputy Air Marshal, who lives in Karachi. With the help of intelligence services, police also arrested some suspects from different parts of Punjab, namely from Lahore and Rawalpindi.  

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