Pak Taliban supports Shahzad's 'noble' work, but disowns him

Islamabad, May 7 (ANI): The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has denied having links with failed Times Square bombing plotter Faisal Shahzad, but said it supports his 'noble job' and that other Muslim youths should also follow him.

A self-proclaimed spokesperson of the TTP, Azam Tariq rejected reports regarding Shahzad being trained in bomb making by the Taliban.

"We have no connection with Faisal Shahzad.We don't know him... we did not train him," Tariq told The Daily Times over the telephone from an undisclosed location.

"This is a noble job and we pray that all the Muslim youths should follow Faisal Shahzad. But he is not part of our network," he added.

Tariq also warned of terror strikes across the US and Europe, saying its attackers have already landed in those countries.

"We will be attacking in a new style against the United States and its allies. Our people have reached the US and other European countries and soon will be attacking," he said.

The TTP had initially accepted the responsibility for the botched terror plot through a video posted on the internet. Soon after, another video emerged, which was said to be of the TTP's chieftain Hakeemullah Mehsud, who warned of attacks on American soil.

Tariq, however, claimed that the Times Square bombing plot was actually a handiwork of the US and its associate countries, which he said was a part of a larger conspiracy against Muslims and Pashtuns.

"This was a plot hatched by the US and its allies to trap Muslim and Pukhtun (Pashtuns) youth in terrorist activities. This is a conspiracy of the US and its allies against Muslims and the Pukhtuns to defame them," he said. (ANI)