Times Square investigation remains ongoing after arrest (2nd Lead)

May 4, 2010, 8:05 GMT

New York - Police arrested a naturalized US citizen from Pakistan in connection with the apparent botched attempt to set off a crude car bomb in New York's landmark Times Square, government agencies announced early Tuesday.

According to a statement, Faisal Shahzad was arrested late Monday by New York City police officers and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He allegedly parked a car containing a bomb along Times Square on Saturday.

Shahzad was arrested at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Dubai after he was identified by customs and homeland security officials.

A formal arraignment is set for later Tuesday in Manhattan. But official statements did not rule out the possibility of more arrests.

'This investigation is ongoing, it is multi-faceted and it is aggressive,' said US Attorney General Eric Holder in a press conference broadcast on CNN, confirming the arrest.

'As we move forward, we will focus on not just only on holding those responsible for it accountable, but also on obtaining any intelligence about terrorist organizations overseas.

'We are deploying every resource available and we will not rest until we have bought everyone responsible to justice.'

Holder said government agents continue to pursue multiple leads and urged US citizens to remain vigilant for further attempted attacks.

'It is clear the intent behind this terror attack was to kill Americans,' he said.

The suspect is a resident of the nearby state of Connecticut and is believed to have anonymously bought the 1993 Nissan Pathfinder with cash just weeks before the Saturday night incident, the New York Times reported online, citing two sources briefed on the police investigation.

Shahzad had reportedly recently returned from a trip to Pakistan.

A New York police officer on Saturday noticed smoke billowing from the sport-utility vehicle parked on Times Square and ultimately discovered the bomb, which failed to detonate. Authorities said the casualties could have been significant if the improvised device had exploded.

Police say the vehicle was loaded with petrol, propane gas tanks, fireworks and fertilizer.

Authorities were seeking to learn whether the suspect might have had contacts with militants in Pakistan or elsewhere. The probe into the Times Square incident was transferred Monday to the international terrorism branch of the federal government's Joint Terrorism Task Force, two federal officials told the Times.

'It's a prominent lead that they're following, the international association,' the paper quoted a senior official as saying on condition of anonymity. 'But there's still a lot of information being gathered.'