The chief suspect in the attempted Times Square car bombing is expected to appear in court in New York on Tuesday for the first time since his arrest two weeks ago.
Faisal Shahzad "is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court at an undetermined time later today," the US attorney for the district said.
Shahzad is accused of leaving a malfunctioning car bomb in the packed theatre district on May 1. He was arrested on May 3 as he tried to fly to Dubai from New York's John F Kennedy Airport.
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He faces five charges including attempted use of weapons of mass destruction and attempting acts of terrorism across national boundaries, both of which carry maximum sentences of life in prison.
The US citizen has not appeared in court since his arrest. Officials said he waived his rights to a speedy hearing.
It also remains unclear whether he has asked for a lawyer.
Taliban connection probed
During his detention, Shahzad "has provided valuable intelligence from which further investigative action has been taken. The investigation into the attempted Times Square bombing continues," the US attorney's office said.
US officials say that Shahzad is connected to Pakistani Taliban insurgents and President Barack Obama has sent two senior national security aides there to join the investigation.
Federal agents last week also arrested three Pakistani men in the northeastern United States and said they were suspected of funneling money to Shahzad. However, they were not charged with terrorism.
A Times Square street vendor noticed the bomb fizzling in the back of an SUV allegedly parked there by Shahzad and alerted police, who evacuated the area.
A 53-hour manhunt ensued, ending with Shahzad's arrest as his plane was about to taxi for take-off to Dubai.
Since then, New York has seen a string of false bomb alerts requiring street evacuations and response from the bomb squad.
