An update on this story, bearing in mind that Pakistan's track record on convictions leaves much to be desired. It will remain to be seen whether the potential consequences for Pakistan if this attack had fully succeeded will generate enough of a sense of urgency to result in meaningful convictions and punishments in the case.
"Pakistan to charge 3 over failed Times Square bomb," by Asif Shahzad for the Associated Press, September 8:
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan will soon bring terrorism charges against three men alleged to have helped the failed Times Square bomber meet up with militant leaders close to the Afghan border and sent him money to carry out the attack, a senior police officer said Wednesday.
The three have been held since soon after the May 1 attempted car bombing, but the announcement marks the first time the authorities here have formally acknowledged their arrest. They had previously been picked up by the country's secretive intelligence agencies.
The three to be charged were identified as Shoaib Mughal, Shahid Hussain and Humbal Akhtar. All three are educated, relatively wealthy Pakistanis.
An intelligence officer said an unspecified number of other suspects were still under investigation, but confirmed that two people previously held had been released. He identified one of those as Salman Ashraf, the co-owner of a catering company the U.S. Embassy accused of terrorist ties. The officer spoke on customary condition of anonymity.
Islamabad Police Deputy Inspector General Bin Yamin said Mughal, Hussain and Akhtar would soon be charged in court with terrorism offenses.
He did not give specifics, but terrorism crimes can be punished by death in Pakistan. It was unclear if the men had been appointed lawyers yet. Terrorism trials in Pakistan are always behind closed doors and often last for many months, if not years.
Yamin described them as having "militant minds" and a strong hatred for America.
Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad has pleaded guilty to terrorism and weapons charges in the United States in connection with the botched bombing.
Yamin said the three suspects had close ties to the leadership of the Pakistani Taliban, a militant group based in the northwest that has claimed responsibility for the plot.
He said the three helped Shahzad to travel to the northwest and meet militant leaders there.
They also sent him $13,000 in the United States when he ran short of money, he said.
Intelligence officers have previously said they had evidence Mughal uploaded video and audio messages from the Pakistan Taliban, including two audio messages from the group's commander, Hakimullah Mehsud, soon after the attack.
An officer has said Mughal was a computer engineer who had a large computer dealership in Islamabad.
Akhtar's wife said soon after his detention that he had graduated from a private university in Islamabad and worked briefly for the government before starting a graphic design business. She said he had no connection to terrorism....
How about jihad?
Who was charged when 8 Christians were BURNED ALIVE? Has the Obama administration said a word about the open torture and violence against the Christians in Pakistan?
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Eight-Christians-burned-alive-in-Punjab-15943.html
Eight Christians burned alive in Punjab
One of them is a child of 7 years. Among the dead there are 4 women. Religious and militant Islamic fundamentalists were inciting the crowd. The fuel is the same as that used in the destruction of Shanti Nagar (1997); Sangla Hill (2005) and Koriyan, a day before. The police accused of negligence.
Another case in 2009 when a Christian (not a book) was BURNED alive:
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Rawalpindi,-Christian-burned-alive-is-buried.-Police-suspected-of-setting-him-on-fire-17975.html
The 38 year-old Pakistani Christian, married and father of three children, aged7 to 12, died on 22 March following the serious injuries sustained during the assault. He suffered burns on 80% of his body excluding any possibility of salvation. The violence of his assailants was sparked by the man’s refusal to convert to Islam.
From the article - "The three to be charged were identified as Shoaib Mughal, Shahid Hussain and Humbal Akhtar. All three are educated, relatively wealthy Pakistanis."
'All three are educated, relatively wealthy Pakistanis'.
And by 'educated', in two cases this means 'tertiary-educated'; it doesn't just mean 'basic literacy'.
These are people who might appear to the casual observer to be quite westernised.
"Mughal was a computer engineer who had a large computer dealership in Islamabad.
"Akhtar's wife said soon after his detention that he had graduated from a private university in Islamabad and worked briefly for the government before starting a graphic design business."
'A computer engineer'. 'graphic design business'.
Making people wealthy doesn't stop jihad; these guys were very well off in comparison to most Pakistanis, and they engaged in jihad.
Educating people (using 'educating' in the sense of 'teaching a skill' or 'imparting technical knowledge') doesn't stop jihad; these guys were, by comparison with most Pakistanis, very well educated, and they engaged in jihad.