Times Square Bomber Appears Relaxed in Manhattan Courtroom

The man accused of plotting to kill Americans with a car bomb in Times Square appeared relaxed and obedient in his first appearance in a Manhattan courtroom, where he was told by a magistrate judge that he had the right to remain silent.

Photo: Times Square Bomber Appears Relaxed in Manhattan Courtroom

Authorities say Faisal Shahzad's willingness to talk kept him out of court for two weeks, speeding up the progress of an investigation into his May 1 plot to set off a homemade car bomb on a spring Saturday evening amidst hundreds of people enjoying the tourist haven, The Associated Press informs.

Faisal Shahzad was charged with one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of attempted acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of use of a destructive device in connection with an attempted crime of violence, which carries a consecutive mandatory sentence of 30 years in prison; one count of transporting and receiving explosives, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years; and one count of attempting to damage and destroy property by means of fire and explosives, which carries a sentence of five to 20 years in prison.

Shahzad of Connecticut purchased fireworks that he had hoped would detonate the bomb from a store in Pennsylvania, of Interstate 84, less than a mile from Port Jervis, Mid-Hudson News reports.