Times Square Bomber 'Inspired' by Anwar al-Awlako

Love | Peace Todays NYT reports that the Times Square would-be bomber Faisal Shahzad was inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki, the same Yemeni-American cleric whose militant online lectures were a catalyst for several other attacks on Americans, including Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas in Nov 2009.

In addition, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic airliner on Christmas Day, is believed to have met Mr. Awlaki during his training by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Friends of Mr. Shahzad have said he became more religious and somber in the last year or so, and asked his father’s permission in 2009 to join the fight in Afghanistan against American and NATO forces. Investigators believe he was trained by the Pakistani Taliban, a militant group that previously focused mainly on Pakistani government targets. via NYT

See also US to expand Pakistan drone strikes via Al Jazeera English. The English-speaking Dawn.com newspaper is down this morning.