3 people arrested in connection with the investigation of the Times Square bombing attempt

3 arrested amid searches in Times Square case

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric Holder has told Congress that several people had been taken into custody in the probe of the bombing attempt in Times Square. Government spokesmen later said three were arrested.

Brian Hale, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, says two of the arrests were in the Boston area and that the other one was in Maine. Hale says all were for suspected immigration violations.

In describing the development at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, the U.S. attorney general said investigators had executed search warrants, resulting in the arrests.

Holder says the latest action came on Thursday morning and was “the product of evidence gathered in the investigation” of the Times Square case.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Eric Holder told Congress Thursday that “several people” have been taken into custody in the probe of the bombing attempt in Times Square.

In describing the development at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, the attorney general said the arrests came as investigators executed search warrants at locations he did not specify but said were in the Northeast.

Holder said the latest action came on Thursday morning and was “the product of evidence gathered in the investigation” of Times Square.

A Justice Department spokesman said earlier that two people are in federal custody after search warrants were issued in connection with the Times Square bombing investigation.

Holder described the events Thursday after being criticized by Republicans at the start of the judiciary committee hearing for using the criminal justice system in terrorism cases.

“Treating terrorists like common criminals makes Americans less safe,” said Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the judiciary committee’s ranking Republican.

Holder defended his decision to bring terrorists to trial in civilian courts, saying that the criminal justice system has proven its strength in the fight against terrorism.

Then, pointing to the Times Square case, the attorney general said the civilian justice system has helped persuade terrorist suspects such as defendant Faisal Shahzad to provide useful information.

As Holder waited to address the House Judiciary Committee, the Justice Department said two people were in federal custody in connection with the Times Square bombing investigation.

Search warrants were issued in multiple locations in the Northeast. Department spokesman Dean Boyd said the two people are being held on alleged immigration violations.

Holder told the committee that guilty pleas obtained in the course of civilian prosecution have yielded long prison sentences and gained valuable intelligence for use against al-Qaida and other terrorist groups.

“The criminal justice system has proven its strength,” Holder said.

Holder had said he wants the 9/11 defendants to be tried in civilian courts in New York, a position that drew fierce criticism from leading Republicans. The White House tabled the idea.

Former President George W. Bush’s last attorney general, Michael Mukasey, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani are among those who have said the case against the 9/11 defendants would be more appropriately tried by military tribunal rather than the civilian criminal justice system.