Faisal Shahzad May Have Been Fooled By Hunt For Man In Times Square Surveillance Video

COLLEEN LONG   05/ 5/10 03:21 PM ET   AP

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Times Square Car Bomb

NEW YORK — An official with knowledge of the investigation says publicized video of a man shedding his shirt near the failed Times Square car bomb may have had the effect of falsely reassuring the real suspect that he wasn't a target.

The official spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case. Faisal Shahzad has been charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.

Police believe the unidentified man in the video is not related to the attack. They have not spoken to him and are not aggressively looking for him.

The official says authorities didn't intend to use the video as a ruse.

Officials say Shahzad was arrested on a flight at Kennedy airport.

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CKieffer
121 Fans
05:41 PM on 05/05/2010
I would like to have believed they did do that intentionally and have the opportunity to say "brilliant!". Then I would be slightly annoyed that some anonymous person felt the need to ruin that tactic by blurting it out.
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HekmagaJuximakLives
140 Fans
09:26 PM on 05/05/2010
In that case, I think I'd better say "Brilliant! Well done, Policemen!" or risk serious injury
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dbushik
10 Fans
04:54 PM on 05/05/2010
So, was he spooked because he heard they were looking for a Pakistani from Connecticut and tried to bolt the country, or was he reassured they were looking for the guy in the video? And if he was reassured, what did that make him do that was significant? If it meant nothing logistically or functionally, why is this information news?

Much like being told the name of the horse the cop was riding in TS, there is information generally associated with this incident that is not at all pertinent and not news.
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Billyguitar
Disgusted by politics since John Anderson lost. In
883 Fans
04:47 PM on 05/05/2010
If they did use that video as a way to fool Shazhad into a false sense of security it was brilliant.
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PrimusElijah
Serial; semi-colon abuser
203 Fans
04:21 PM on 05/05/2010
I wouldn't actually be surprised if this video was actually staged. They could have filmed it a day or two after the attack. If so, it's brilliant. Not TV sexy brilliant, but hard working law enforcement brilliant.
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SamEllison
I feel so clean!
223 Fans
03:30 PM on 05/05/2010
Throwing a little red-meat out for the news-hounds ain't a bad idea though.
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Rock Brasiliano
111 Fans
06:25 PM on 05/05/2010
The lefties bit...hook. line and sinker.
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HekmagaJuximakLives
140 Fans
09:19 PM on 05/05/2010
Oh yeah? The shirt shedder is still out there, and Cod only knows what he's doing.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
greymom
331 Fans
12:36 AM on 05/06/2010
What is with the "lefties" comment? What does this have at all to do with politics? Are you so filled with grumpiness that you don't let anything happen without trying to attack liberals?
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