Times Square car bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad's case has been postponed for three weeks until June 21 to allow him to speak with US authorities about the terror plot.
Shahzad, Pakistani-born American accused of planting a car bomb in Times Square, through his lawyer agreed to waive his right to indictment for another three weeks. US Magistrate Judge Theodore Katz signed an order granting the delay. "The granting of such a continuance best serves the ends of justice and outweighs the best interests of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial," Katz said in a statement, as reported by dnainfo.com, a local news website.
Shahzad faces five charges, including attempted use of weapons of mass destruction and attempting acts of terrorism across national boundaries, both of which carry maximum sentences of life in prison. After his arrest, Shahzad waived his arraignment and has been providing the federal authorities with information connected with the terror plot. Shahzad, a 30-year-old Pakistani-born naturalised US citizen, was arrested apparently trying to flee the country on a flight to Dubai on May 3, on charges of leaving a bomb-packed SUV in the bustling heart of New York's Times Square. He is believed to have been working in collusion with the Pakistan-Taliban. If the Times Square bombing was successful, Shahzad planned to attack four other targets--Rockefeller centre, a, Grand Central Terminal, the World Financial Centre and the Connecticut headquarters of defense contractor Sikorsky.
The father of two worked as a financial analyst in Connecticut where he lived with his wife. But his personal and professional life began to unravel last year during the financial crisis. In two emails, the terror suspect has expressed frustration with the state of the Muslim world. Shahzad is also set to lose his home in Connecticut to foreclosure under a court order. The Connecticut Post reported that Milford Superior Court ordered that the accused terrorist would lose his house at 119 Long Hill Avenue. If he did not repay Chase Home Finance LLC on July 31.
Based on information provided by Shahzad, US authorities have carried out several raids in the US northeast, including a operation last month that led to the detention of three suspects from Pakistan accused of funnelling money to him. Pir Khan, a 43-year-old taxi driver from Watertown, Boston was arrested along with his cousin, Aftab Khan, 27. Both are now facing deportation for violating immigrationlaws. A third man, Mohammad Shafiq Rahman, a 33-year-old computer programmer from South Portland, Maine, was alsoarrested.
