Long Island Muslim man busted for financing attempted Times Square bombing

New York, Sept.16 (ANI): Federal agents have charged a Long Island Muslim man for financing the attempted Times Square bombing.

Mohammed Younis, 44, is charged with operating an unlicensed money transfer business between the United States and Pakistan.

At least one transfer helped Faisal Shahzad orchestrate his failed May 1 attack, though there's no evidence Younis knew about Shahzad's plan, the New York Times quoted the authorities, as saying.

Younis met with Shahzad on Long Island on April 10, less than a month before the Times Square incident. He then spoke to Shahzad on the phone to discuss the transaction, the indictment says.

He allegedly helped Shahzad obtain thousands of dollars from an unnamed co-conspirator, prosecutors charge.

"Mohammad Younis unwittingly funded a terror plot that, if successful, would have caused mass casualties in New York City," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said.

He added: "These charges remind us how international terrorists use the cover of informal money transfer systems to avoid detection and to inflict catastrophic harm." (ANI)