The 25-year-old shuttle driver from Colorado, Najibullah Zazi, pleaded guilty to three terrorism charges in a federal court, and admitted to being trained along with other men from New York by Al Qaeda in Pakistan.
"During the training, Al Qaeda leaders asked us to return to the United States and conduct martyrdom operations.
We agreed to this plan," Zazi told the courtroom.
"I would sacrifice myself to bring attention to what the US military was doing to civilians in Afghanistan by sacrificing my soul for the sake of saving other souls," he added.
Dressed in a blue jumpsuit, Zazi respectfully addressed District Judge Raymond Dearie with the words, "Your honour".
The judge read out three charges -- conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to murder in a foreign country, and providing material support for a foreign terrorist organization, to which Zazi pleaded "guilty".
The Afghani defendant was arrested last year in connection with making home-made bombs to blow up key areas in New York City. The Feds said that Zazi purchased "large quantities of hydrogen peroxide" and acetone from beauty supply stores in Denver over three months.
Two other men from New York, Addis Medunjanin and Zarein Ahmedzay, are believed to have accompanied Zazi to an Al Qaeda training camp in Pakistan in 2008. Both have been charged and pleaded not guilty. Zazi's father has also been indicted in the case. The authorities had described the Zazi case as the most serious terrorist attempt since 9/11.
In his plea, Zazi told the judge that during the summer of 2008 he made a plan with others in Queens, New York to go to Pakistan to join the Taliban and fight against the US army in Afghanistan. He described the purpose as "To fight alongside with the Taliban against the US".
While, in Pakistan he was recruited by Al Qaeda who taught him how to use weapons. "We were taken by Al Qaeda to training camp in Waziristan, where we received weapons training."
"During my training, I had discussions with Al Qaeda leaders including, target locations, such as New York City subways. I also give money and computers to al Qaeda during that trip."
The defendant that revealed that he returned to the US in January 2009, accessed his bomb making notes and started putting his plan into action in Denver and New York.
"When I arrived in New York City, I realized that law enforcement was investigating me. At that point, we threw the detonator explosives and other materials, and I flew back to Denver, and I was arrested just a few days after."
In a press briefing, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "There is no question the NYPD and the FBI together stopped a plot that would have really hurt this city."
The sentencing is on June 25 and Zazi faces life imprisonment.
