The Twilight Tattoo US army newyorkadmittedterroristfaisalshahzadwassoeagertotellhowheplottedtokillamericansintimessquare,hewenttocourtwithapreparedstatement.U.S.Districtjudgemiriamcedarbaumrefusedtohearhimreaditmonday,insteadchallengingthepakistan-bornamericancitizentojustsay"whathappened."Inanunapologetic,matter-of-factcourtroomcolloquythatfollowed,shahzadofferedchillingdetailsabouthowhetrainedwiththepakistanitalibantobuildbombs,thenreturnedtotheu.S.Tolaunchanattackthatwouldavengeattacksonmuslimsbyu.S.Forcesoverseas."Onehastounderstandwherei"mcomingfrom,"hesaidinanunusualdeparturefromtightlyscriptedguiltypleas,withhisdefenseattorneyandprosecutorssittinginsilenceinfederalcourtinmanhattan."Iconsidermyself...Amuslimsoldier."Shahzad,30,admittedleavingansuvriggedwithahomemadebombinbustlingtimessquaresonawarmnightonmay1.Thebombfailedtogooff,andthebridgeport,conn.,Residentwasarrestedtryingtoleavethecountryonadubai-boundflighttwodayslater.Authoritiessayfollowinghiscapture,shahzadvoluntarilystartedtalkingaboutthebotchedbombingrightawayapatternthatcontinuedinopencourt,whereheagreedtopleadguiltyto10terrorismandweaponscountswithoutthebenefitofapleadealandwithcertaintyhe"dfacelifeinprison."Iwanttopleadguilty,andi"mgoingtopleadguilty100timesover,"hesaid.Untilu.S.Forcesleavemuslimterritory,headded,"wewillbeattackingu.S."Sentencingwassetforoct.5,andprosecutorssaythatatleastoneofthecountstowhichshahzadpleadedguiltycarriesamandatorylifeterm.Withnoparoleinthefederalsystem,thatmeanshewoulddiebehindbars.Widelycirculatedsnapshotsofshahzadau.S.-Trainedfinancialanalystandmarriedfatheroftwoshowhimwithaneatlytrimmedbeard,allsmilesandlookingcarefreebehindsunglassesdrivingacar,orstandingnexttohisamericanwife.Whenledintocourtonmonday,hehadonawhiteskullcapandprisonersuniform,hisbeardshaggyandhisdemeanorfullofprideandabsentremorse.Shahzadtracedhisplottoa2009triptopakistanthatbeganonlythreemonthsafterhereceivedhisu.S.Citizenship.Whilestayingwithhisparents,heventuredintothelawlesswaziristanregionindecemberwith"acoupleoffriends...Tojointhe(pakistani)taliban."Hedidntdescribethefriendsanyfurther.Butanintelligenceofficialinpakistantoldtheassociatedpressthatciainvestigatorshavebeengivenaccesstotwopakistanimenwhohelpedshahzadreachmiralitowninnorthwaziristan,aswellastothreeothersuspectsbeingheldbypakistaniauthorities.Theofficialinsistedonanonymitybecausepakistansintelligenceagencydoesnotallowitsoperativestobeidentified.Shahzadsaidhesoughtandreceivedfivedays"traininginexplosivesbeforereturningtotheunitedstatesinfebruarytopursueaone-manschemetobringdeathanddestructiontonewyorkwithfundingfromthemilitantgroup.Theindictmentsaidhereceived$5,000incashonfeb.25fromanunnamedcoconspiratorinpakistanand$7,000moreonapril10,sentatthecoconspiratorsdirection.Heexplainedthatheloadedhisvehiclewiththreebombcomponents,hopingtosetoffafertilizer-fueledbombpackedinaguncabinet,asetofpropanetanksandgascanistersriggedwithfireworkstoexplodeintoafireball.Healsorevealedhewascarryingafoldingassaultrifleinalaptopcomputercasefor"self-defense."Shahzadsaidheexpectedthebombtobegingoingoffafterhelightedafuseandwaitedbetween21/2andfiveminutesforittoerupt."Iwaswaitingtohearasound,buticouldnthearanysound....Soijustwalkedtograndcentral(terminal),andiwenthome,"hesaid.Authoritiessaythebombmalfunctioned,emittingsmokethatattractedtheattentionofanalertstreetvendor,whonotifiedpolice,settinginmotionarapidevacuationofblocksofacitystillhealingfromtheshockofthesept.11,2001,terroristattackontheworldtradecenter.Ataminimum,policesaid,theexplosivehadpotentialtoharmnearbypedestriansanddamagebuildingswithflamesandshrapnel.Thejudgekeptupasteadyback-and-forthwithshahzad,questioninghowitwaspossiblehepulledoffthenear-bombingsolo."Youbuiltthebomballbyyourself?"Sheasked."Yes....Nobodyhelpedme,"hereplied.Shealsopressedhimonhowhecouldtargetu.S.Civiliansifhisgoalwastoretaliateagainstu.S.Forces,askingofthepotentialintimessquarethatnight,"didyoulookaroundtoseewhotheywere?""Well,thepeopleselectthegovernment,"shahzadsaid."Weconsiderthemallthesame.Thedrones,whentheyhit..."Cedarbauminterruptedagain:"includingthechildren?"Shahzadanswered:"well,thedronehitsinafghanistanandiraq,theydontseechildren,theydontseeanybody.Theykillwomen,children,theykilleverybody.Itsawar,andinwar,theykillpeople.They"rekillingallmuslims."Later,headded:"iampartoftheanswertotheu.S.Terrorizingthemuslimnationsandthemuslimpeople.And,onbehalfofthat,i"mavengingtheattack.Livingintheunitedstates,americansonlycareabouttheirownpeople,buttheydontcareaboutthepeopleelsewhereintheworldwhentheydie."Attorneygeneralericholdersaidaftertheplea:"faisalshahzadplottedandlaunchedanattackthatcouldhaveledtoseriouslossoflife,andtodaytheamericancriminaljusticesystemensuredthathewillpaythepriceforhisactions."Pakistanhasarrestedatleast11peoplesincetheattemptedattack;nonehavebeenofficiallycharged.Thefatherofoneofthemendetainedsaidhehassubmittedacourtpetitionforinformationabouthisson,salmanashrafkhan,butreceivednothing."Ifsomebodyisdead,themourningperiodlasts40days,"saidranaashrafkhan."Butthisisthe43rddaymysonismissing."Threemeninmassachusettsandmainesuspectedofsupplyingmoneytoshahzadhavebeendetainedonimmigrationcharges;onewasrecentlytransferredtonewyork.Federalauthoritieshavesaidtheybelievemoneywaschanneledthroughanundergroundmoneytransfernetworkknownashawala,buttheyhavesaidtheydoubtanyoneintheu.S.Whoprovidedmoneyknewwhatitwasfor.___associatedpresswriterasifshahzadinislamabadcontributedtothisreport. 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