Times Square Car Bomber Pleads Guilty in Terror Case

by MylesMiller | June 21, 2010 at 02:35 pm

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U.S. DISTRICT COURT- The man suspected of planning and carrying out the failed Times Square bombing pleaded guilty on Monday, in an hour long court hearing that signaled the beginning of the end in a terrorism case that transcended international borders.

Faisal Shahzad, the defendant signaled his understanding of the charges he faced outlined in the indictment.

Shahzad, who more than once professed his hatred for United States foreign policy was asked by Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum why he wanted to plead guilty.

Shahzad answered, "I want to plead guilty 100 times over," as he faced life in prison.

In a 20 minute long statement gave an extremely detailed account of his training background and the events that lead up to the day of the attack, Shahzad said he “watched the news” and kept a gun in his house when he realized “they [investigators] were getting close.”

The Pakistani born terrorist said he went to Pakistan for 40 days in December of last year to January of this year and received bomb training for 5 days from the Pakistani Taliban.

“They taught me the whole thing. How to make a bomb, detonate a bomb and fuse a bomb,” said Shahzad.

Shahzad was not at all remorseful about what he did, when asked by Judge Cedarbaum why if he was upset with the U.S. foreign policy and military, he parked his car in Times Square full of regular citizens and children, the terrorist suspect said "people select their government [which directs the military]," adding "Americans only care about their people, they don't care about people elsewhere."

The 30 year old suspect offered a chilling warning in court, “Until the U.S. pulls out of Afghanistan, we will be attacking the U.S.,” Shahzad said.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara said “In admitting his guilt today, Shahzad reminded us of the uniquely serious threat that our city faces every single day."

Shahzad’s sentencing is set for October 5th, 2010 at 10 a.m., the original date was set for the beginning of September however his co-federal defender Julia Gatto is slated to give birth on September 1st.