Handgun, bullets found in Times Square bomber’s car

NEW YORK - A 9mm handgun with clips and ammunition has been found in a vehicle the Pakistani-American suspect in the failed Times Square bombing here is believed to have driven to the airport to flee to his homeland, CNN reported.

Authorities hunting for the suspect dramatically beat the clock to arrest Faisal Shahzad, 30, around 11.45 p.m. Monday at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

In addition to guns, investigator found 15 bags of “standard green fertiliser” and flash powder in the trash outside Shahzad’s apartment in Connecticut, a federal law enforcement source told CNN Tuesday.

Shahzad will appear after 2 p.m. Tuesday (00:30 IST Wednesday) in federal court, the US attorney’s office in Manhattan said.

Shahzad was on board Emirates Airlines Flight 202 to Dubai, the UAE, and the jetway had been pulled back when the plane was called to return to the gate, a law enforcement source was quoted as saying.

Shahzad was booked through to Islamabad, Pakistan, via Dubai, CNN said citing a senior airline official.

Security officials removed two other passengers from the flight late Monday but they were cleared and released later Tuesday, the channel said citing a source.

The two passengers taken off with Shahzad “had nothing to do with this” but were removed from the plane in an abundance of caution “in the rush of the moment”, the source was cited as saying.

Authorities searched the plane, luggage and checked all passengers again before the flight took off early Tuesday for Dubai.