ABC news are verbally reporting that the alleged Times Square "bomber" was arrested on an Emirates flight to DXB, after the plane was recalled to the gate.
Recall that soon after the Saturday event, Paki Taliban claimed responsibility, but were dismissed by US authorities as lacking credibility. Was this our way of giving the suspect more rope to hang himself?
According to published reports, Faisal Shazhad, an American, was pulled off EK202 at JFK last night. Apparently he is singing like a canary and has the customary jihadi travel itinerary over the past few months.
Authorities and media will publically pretend to be puzzled as to motive as is the custom in the U.S. Advocacy groups are already running to the microphones giving sound bites decrying ethnic stereotyping and raising fears of public backlash.
EK202 departed several hours late at 6:29 am after pax screening.
Apart from his woeful lack of skills in assembling and detonating an infernal device, he made at least two basic errors. He gave his correct name and address to the guy he bought the vehicle from, so it did not take long for New York's finest to identify the prime suspect. He then waited too long before attempting to leave the USA. He should have been on the first available jet to anywhere outside the US sphere of influence. What's the betting he had a return ticket on EK to Dubai?
There have been conflicting news reports (as is typical when there's an aviation drama going on) about when Shahzad was removed from the plane. Apparently he was removed just prior to pushback, and then the jet taxied to the hold line at 22R, meanwhile switching to tower freq. Then tower said "Emirates 202 'position'..." and in the same breath she told the crew to return to the gate and contact company. At the gate again, 2 more pax were removed, questioned, and freed. Please update this with more accurate info.
It's irrelevent....when 'terrorists' are guys with propane bottles and a few cans of gun powder, then pretty much anyone winding up for a family reunion picnic, doing a little shooting with some long lost relatives will be shipped off to Guantanomo....
Irrelevant if you disregard the issue of this individual receiving terror training in Pakistan. Unlike the redneck at the family picnic, this individual parked his vehicle with the intention of setting an explosion and injuring others, in a busy urban setting, and then attempted to flee the country.
