Washington, May 10 (Inditop.com) Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani American who attempted to set off a car bomb in New York’s Times square had been cautioned by his Taliban handlers against leaving a paper trail and pay in cash as he acquired the wherewithal for the attack, a media report Monday said.
The Pakistani Taliban instructed Shahzad to always pay cash and never ask for or receive receipts for his transactions, the Los Angeles Times quoted a government source close to the investigation as saying.
“He was told to leave no paper trail at all,” said the source, who requested anonymity because FBI interrogations are still underway with the suspect.
“He paid cash for his gun, and he paid cash for the van he acquired,” the source said. “He was told to be very careful about not letting anything track back to him. No receipts, and no paper. No nothing.”
The newspaper quoted the source as adding that officials are trying to determine how much Taliban money was provided to front the operation, who put up the funds and how it was paid out to Shahzad.
Shahzad was arrested as he tried to flee the country on a flight to the Middle East late May 3, 53 hours after a SUV packed with explosives was discovered in Times Square.
“Although Obama administration officials initially described Shahzad as a lone wolf, since his arrest a fuller picture of his connection to militants has emerged. Shahzad appears to have been radicalized during his time living in the U.S. and allegedly contacted the Pakistani Taliban via the Internet,” the newspaper said.
“The Pakistani Taliban, which initially took credit for the Times Square plot but then retracted the claim, is often described as an offshoot of the Afghan Taliban and has largely been known to be focused on attacking the Pakistan government. The Times Square plot indicates that the group has broadened its reach and goals,” it added.
