**A US citizen of Pakistani origin is due to appear in court in New York later in connection with a failed car-bomb attack in Times Square on Saturday.**Faisal Shahzad was arrested at John F Kennedy airport on Monday night on board a plane about to leave for Dubai.
Investigators say he has told them he was acting alone and has no connections with foreign militant groups.
US Attorney General Eric Holder said it was clear the “intent behind this terrorist act was to kill Americans”.
Mr Shahzad, who reportedly only became a naturalised US citizen last year, is believed to have recently bought the SUV that was found loaded with an improvised explosive device in Times Square.
The attorney general’s office has confirmed the 30-year-old will appear before Manhattan federal court on Tuesday afternoon, but not announced the charges he will face.
Home searched
The day after Mr Shahzad was detained on board an Emirates Airlines flight that had just pulled away from the gate at JFK, law enforcement officials said he had made statements implicating himself and told them he had acted alone.
“He’s admitted to buying the truck, putting the devices together, putting them in the truck, leaving the truck there and leaving the scene,” one unnamed source told the Reuters news agency.
“He’s claimed to have acted alone. He did admit to all the charges, so to speak,” he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, the FBI searched Mr Shahzad’s home in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They removed several filled plastic bags.
Investigators are also looking into Mr Shahzad’s activities during a recent five-month trip to Pakistan, and trying to ascertain whether he or others who might have been involved were in contact with people or groups overseas.
On Sunday, the Pakistani Taliban said it was responsible for the failed bombing attempt and it threatened suicide attacks on major US cities. US officials said they had no evidence to support the claims.
The BBC’s Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad says there is scepticism among security experts in Pakistan about a direct Taliban link.
There are numerous militant groups, and potentially hundreds of people an individual could approach for militant training in Pakistan, he adds.
Emirates Airlines said US officials had removed two other people from its flight on Monday. It is unclear whether they are connected to Mr Shahzad.
The car containing a bomb made from fertiliser, fireworks, petrol and propane gas tanks was left in Times Square on Saturday evening.
The 1993 Nissan Pathfinder was parked with its engine running and hazard lights flashing.
‘Significant fireball’
The bomb was discovered and dismantled before it could explode after a street-vendor noticed smoke coming from the vehicle and alerted police.
Mr Holder told a news conference that investigators were pursuing several leads, adding: “We will not rest until we have brought everyone responsible to justice.”
He urged the American people to “remain vigilant” and report anything suspicious to the authorities.
Mr Holder said the attempted car bombing “would have been a deadly attack had it been successful”.
He added: “It’s clear that the intent behind this terrorist act was to kill Americans.”
Times Square was packed with tourists and theatregoers when the alarm was raised.
Police evacuated a wide area of the district and closed subway lines, while a controlled explosion was carried out.
Officials said the bomb was crude, but could have sparked a “significant fireball” and sprayed shrapnel with enough force to kill pedestrians and knock out windows.
Investigators initially focused on a man who was seen on one video walking away from the area where the car was parked. He looked over his shoulder at least twice and pulled off a shirt, revealing a red T-shirt underneath.
New York’s police commissioner said investigators still wanted to speak to the man, but acknowledged that he might not be connected to the bombing attempt.This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/bbcnewsworldfullfeed?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/bbcnewsworldfullfeed?d=dnMXMwOfBR0 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/bbcnewsworldfullfeed?i=BeKtgz2xvqM:2YVvRpoTkWI:V_sGLiPBpWU
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/bbcnewsworldfullfeed/~4/BeKtgz2xvqM