Pak Interior Minister says Taliban link to Times Square bomb plot under probe

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Saturday that the Taliban link to the Times Square bomb plot is under investigation by the concerned authorities.

Malik said that Islamabad is determining whether Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad, who was arrested over the botched plot met Pakistani Taliban leaders in their stronghold in the northwest.

He said Pakistani investigators were trying to verify information provided by the United States that 30-year-old Shahzad had visited South Waziristan.

“Yes, today we received a formal request from them in which they have given the details of the charges according to which Shahzad has been visiting South Waziristan and meeting Qari Hussain and Hakimullah Mehsud. But it all needs confirmation. The statement of accused should substantiate with some documentary or material evidence. So, we will investigate. One thing I want to say and which is very clear that the acts of terorism bring horror to the world and we are facing it too. We will provide full support to American authorities to bring the culprits to justice,”Rehman told reporters here.

The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attempted car bomb attack, but a spokesman for the militants has denied links to Shahzad.

If confirmed that the Taliban in Pakistan sponsored the attempted bombing in New York, it would be the group’s first involvement in an attack on U.S. soil. (ANI)