ISLAMABAD: Security agencies arrested a man allegedly linked to the Times Square bombing suspect Faisal Shahzad, who is currently under trial in a US court.
According to a security official, the suspect Faisal Abbasi is a resident of Murree and an employee of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) in Islamabad. He was arrested while trying to enter Islamabad from North Waziristan.
The security official claimed that Abbasi had strong links to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and was the alleged mastermind of the Times Square bombing. “Abbasi was in constant contact with Shahzad and had also arranged a meeting between Shahzad and TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud while Shahzad was under training in Pakistan,” he said.
Security agencies also claimed that Abbasi was a close associate of the three suspects whom the city police had arrested from Sihala, on the outskirts of Islamabad, on September 7. While they came to Islamabad, Abbasi had decided to stay back in Waziristan. The city police, however, pleaded ignorance. “We have no knowledge of this arrest,” said the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Bani Amin.
Police sources told The Express Tribune that Abbasi, along with the other three, was arrested in a joint operation by intelligence agencies and the Islamabad police two months ago. But his arrest was made public on Thursday. These claims, however, could not be officially verified.
The CII has also distanced itself from the matter, saying that they have not been in touch with Abbasi for three months.
Shahzad under trial
Meanwhile, the Associated Press news agency quoted prosecutors as saying that Shahzad had said that he thought the attack would kill at least 40 people and that he planned to detonate a second bomb in New York City two weeks after the first. The government included the details on Thursday in a court filing before Shahzad is sentenced next week. He faces life in prison.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2010.
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