Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Prosecutors' Letter Outlines Confessed Times Square Bomber Faisal Shahzad's Detainment

By DNAinfo Staff on May 20, 2010 9:42pm  | Updated on May 21, 2010 8:10am

Mug shot of Times Square bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad.
Mug shot of Times Square bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad.
View Full Caption
U.S. Marshals Service

By Jordan Heller

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Hundreds of agents "working around the clock" fanned out in cities across the U.S. following the arrest of self-confessed Times Square bomber Faisal Shazad, prosecutors said in a letter released Thursday.

The letter, dated May 12, was sent by prosecutors to the judges assigned the case, Chief Judge Loretta A. Preska and Chief Judge George A. Yanthisto update them on the status of the alleged terrorist's detainment nine days after his arrest.

The letter, which was provided to the public in a redacted form Thursday, outlines Shahzad's continued consent to waive his Miranda rights on a daily basis since his arrest on May 3.

"Uninterrupted access has been, and continues to be, extremely beneficial, if not essential, to the investigation," the letter read.

"The defendant has been questioned — and continues to be questioned — by federal agents on a number of sensitive national security and law enforcement matters for the purpose of preventing potential future attacks, identifying associates of the defendant and possible facilitators of the attempted attack, as well as gathering other actionable intelligence.”

Ten days after Shahzad's arrest, federal agents arrested three people in connection with the failed Times Square plot.

On Thursday, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed that one of the suspects had an envelope with Shahzad's name on it, and a cell phone with Shahzad's name and number in its memory, CNN reported.

Shahzad was arraigned on May 19, 15 days after his arrest. Prosecutors underscored in the letter that there was "no legal requirement" to keep the court informed of Shahzad's status, but said they were doing so in deference to the "unusual circumstances" of the case.

The day before Shahzad's arraignment, prominent civil rights attorney Ron Kuby called the lengthy interrogation without a court appearance “unprecedented.”

In a letter to Chief Judge Preska, Kuby described Shahzad as “a suspect buried in the bowels of a Manhattan version of Guantanamo,” and said that holding him “in an undisclosed location, squeezing him for information” is a violation of criminal procedure rules.