Faisal Shahzad ARRESTED: Video, Cell Phone, Craigslist All Tipped Off Feds (PHOTOS)

Faisal Shahzad was recently arrested on charges that he drove a car bomb into Times Square in an attempt to detonate a "fireball" in the crowded New York City neighborhood.

His arrest comes just several days after the discovery of the Times Square car bomb, and investigators' ability to so quickly track down the suspect is due in no small part to the technological trail of clues left by Shahzad.

We've taken a look at how technology--from cell phones to surveillance cameras, Facebook to Craigslist--helped expedite the arrest of this person of interest connected to the Times Square bombing attempt.

Find out more about the investigation here.

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City security cameras captured images of the SUV that was later found to contain the explosive device. In the investigation into the attempted bombing, officials also closely examined surveillance camera footage depicting a person of interest on West 45th Street, near the scene of the crime, removing a shirt.
According to the New York Times, "Law enforcement officials offered a more detailed description of the makeup of the failed car bomb found in Times Square on Saturday night, and said they were reviewing surveillance footage that showed a white man who appeared to be in his 40s walking away from the area as he looked over his shoulder and removed a layer of clothing."
The AP additionally notes, "The SUV was captured on video crossing an intersection at 6:28 p.m. Saturday. A vendor pointed out the Pathfinder to an officer about two minutes later. Times Square, clogged with tourists on a warm evening, was shut down for 10 hours. A bomb squad dismantled the explosive device, and no one was hurt."

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City security cameras captured images of the SUV that was later found to contain the explosive device. In the investigation into the attempted bombing, officials also closely examined surveillance camera footage depicting a person of interest on West 45th Street, near the scene of the crime, removing a shirt.


According to the New York Times, "Law enforcement officials offered a more detailed description of the makeup of the failed car bomb found in Times Square on Saturday night, and said they were reviewing surveillance footage that showed a white man who appeared to be in his 40s walking away from the area as he looked over his shoulder and removed a layer of clothing."


The AP additionally notes, "The SUV was captured on video crossing an intersection at 6:28 p.m. Saturday. A vendor pointed out the Pathfinder to an officer about two minutes later. Times Square, clogged with tourists on a warm evening, was shut down for 10 hours. A bomb squad dismantled the explosive device, and no one was hurt."

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Comments

[MidwestEditor]

10:58 PM on 05/05/2010

Is it really necessary to tip off the bad guys about what mistakes they've made? When bin Laden released a tape after 9/11 the media was all reporting about how the FBI and CIA were trying to analyze the mountains seen in the background to try to figure out where he was. After those stories ran, any tapes that come out are all shot inside or have a banner in the background. The media reported that the CIA was tracking Al-Qaeda locations thru their use of satellite phones. Now they don't use satellite phones. Sometimes the media just needs to shut the f**k up.

[ComeOnAlready]

08:43 PM on 05/05/2010

Why does he have to be so handsome!!??!!!

[cuzimacheater]

12:08 AM on 05/05/2010

I -honestly- don't understand why a guy removing his sweater or whatever is substantial at all.

[JulieDole]

09:43 PM on 05/04/2010

So, was bin Laden on his FB friends list?

[mizerello]

08:55 PM on 05/04/2010

The fact that the Republicans and the media are already turning this into a political issue makes me sick. Not everything is political and terrorism and the environment are pretty much equal opportunity issues.

The suggestion by Republicans that this attempted b0mbing is an indication that the Obama administration is weak on terror is ridiculous. First, there is no possible way that we can stop every individual with the intent of hurting Americans. At some point, another terr0rist attack is going to occur. And it's not always going to be somebody's fault that it happens. There are 300 million people in this country. You can't watch everyone and if they're working alone, at some point they'll be successful.

To those who then complain that mirandizing someone is somehow the wrong way to handle terr0rists--I would remind you that our justice system requires this and that it has worked just fine in thousands of trials against terr0rist suspects over the years. Their argument seems to be that waterbo@rding would cancel out all attempted terr0rist acts.

I would remind my Republican "friends" that the worst terr0rist att@ck in this country occurred under a Republican President and Congress. I would also remind them that several other smaller attempts also occurred during the Bush tenure. Finally, it seems pretty clear that closing the NRA loophole that has allowed potential terr0rists to legally buy guns and explosives might be more effective than waterbo@rding everyone in this country.

[enterhere]

08:43 PM on 05/04/2010

He made the one way reservation to Dubai on his way to the airport and paid in cash for the ticket when he got there with apparently no luggage. All of those things should have been reason to flag this guy. He was added at some point yesterday to the no fly list. Yet after all this this guy still actually got on a plane. Is it the responsibility of the carrier to check people against the no fly list or the US government agencies? If it is the carriers responsibility I can only ask how many others on the no fly list are using Arab flagged air carriers to come in and out of the US? Cause it does not look like they check too closely.

[ethereal119]

10:47 PM on 05/04/2010

10 to 1 it turns out he's a head case.

[mockley]

07:46 PM on 05/04/2010

What exactly, is the purpose of rating these pictures?

[Draekia]

01:59 AM on 05/05/2010

Exactly. Only the last one even seemed to have anything to do with the man... I swear there were 4 stock photos and one actual photo of relevance

[GoDogGo]

07:14 PM on 05/04/2010

To be honest, I'm surprised they didn't figure him out within hours, not days. Everything about this case screams "incom/petent" (for which New Yorkers are grateful).

This guy showed a fundamental misunderstanding of technology, via the device and leaving tracks all over that lead the authorities right to him. The simple fact that he thought prying the VIN number off the dashboard would cover his trail is ridiculous (there's countless serial numbers all over our cars). Using an email address to buy the car would lead authorities straight to an IP address (or other ones used before), as would the disposable phone's cell tower usage records.

I would have thought they'd have found the previous owner of the car that night, checked the IP and phone records early in the AM, and had the guy by the next afternoon. But hey, I'm just an armchair detective so what do I know?

[MichaelMcKLA]

06:59 PM on 05/04/2010

OK and where is the story to match the headline about how the feds were tipped off? I assume this is more than the T-shirt guy drawing the attention of a policeman to the car.

[GoDogGo]

07:07 PM on 05/04/2010

It's yet another false headline by HuffPost. It's getting awfully hard to take anything seriously from this site anymore, given the daily record of bad information, misleading headlines and unchecked info.

[MichaelMcKLA]

07:23 PM on 05/04/2010

Not to mention often giving multiple (and largely unwarranted) spots on the front page to Sarah Palin, of all people.

[P51MUSTANG]

07:56 PM on 05/04/2010

The headlines are really getting bad. Really bad.

They must be paying headline writers by the # of click-throughs as to reward such misleading, pot-stirring, incorrect, non-factual, hyperbole laden, faux controversial... writing.

[globalcitizenlinda]

06:33 PM on 05/04/2010

did he even consider the future of his kids - of course he did not consider the fate of the kids whose parents he intende to blow up

[CanadianBeef]

06:20 PM on 05/04/2010

I was an immigrant from the Middle East, I would be furious at guys like this for making my whole culture look bad. Tolerant people understand that it's just a few radicals, but try explaining that after a string of Taliban-inspired attacks.

[CTtransplant]

08:50 PM on 05/04/2010

I fell fr you and others in that position. Some of us - but not all - realize that one bad apple should not be allowed to spoil the whole bunch. Thus far, every person of Middle Eastern origin that I have met have been hardworking and respectful people. And, in spite of the few radicals, will continue to feel that way, if that is any consolation.

[floodberg]

09:09 PM on 05/04/2010

I'll second CTransplant on this one. Stereotyping people and 'labeling' them is inaccurate and wrong. Period.

Everyone deserves fair and equal treatment. Compassion and common sense should be the rule, not the exception.

[CanadianBeef]

06:18 PM on 05/04/2010

Kind of reminds you that the real war on terror is at home not abroad. Though this sick act was certainly inspired by America's troops being abroad. Something to think about. Law enforcement at home is cheaper and more effective. Station more street vendors around Times Square. That would help, too.

[ethereal119]

10:50 PM on 05/04/2010

That's exactly what I was gonna say about all the German and Japanese terrorists of late.

[Morgantheaxe]

06:10 PM on 05/04/2010

I want you to think about this guys. Haters in this country aren't one offs. They come from familys and towns full of haters. I live in Texas I know. There are literally tens of thousands of rural Texans that preach the desire to see our own President die every single day. This guy came from just such an environment in his own country. I gaurantee you his village is crawling with these guys. When they reach the point of training to act its time to kill the ants nest as it were. You are free to hate, but you are not free to try and kill. I don't want to see an invasion....I don't want to see rebuilding. I just want to see his entire home wiped from the map. Eye for an eye makes the whole world blind....but attempted eye in exchange for thousands of eyes makes your enemy blind and helpless. I truly hope we send them the message not to ever come here with other than peace in your heart again. It doesn't matter that he is Pakistani, German, Irish, Italian, or British. Your people hate us fine...your people try and kill our people....not fine.

[Greg Logan]

07:13 PM on 05/04/2010

... or Texan...

[CTtransplant]

08:52 PM on 05/04/2010

Excellent post, Morgan! Thank you! Fanned.

[OmnesOmnibus]

05:56 PM on 05/04/2010

A win, pure and simple.

[jabidi]

05:48 PM on 05/04/2010

Interesting article:

http://www.vnnforum.com/showthread.php?p=1129266

[exflatlander]

07:00 PM on 05/04/2010

Interesting? No, paranoid is more like it.