Times Square Terrorist Had Multiple Terror Contacts, Including Awlaki, Taliban Chief, and Mumbai Massacre Mastermind

No longer is the question did Times Square terrorist Faisal Shahzad have contact with overseas terrorists, the question is now which (if not all) of his contacts helped him in his mission. According to sources,  Shahzad had contact with Anwar Awlaki (the American-born Muslim Cleric tie to both Major Hasan and the inernet bomber). He was also tied to the head of the Pakistani Taliban, and the planner of the  Mumbai Massacre Mastermind 

Accused Times Square Bomber Faisal Shahzad linked up with the Pakistani Taliban through the internet, ABC News has been told by law enforcement and intelligence sources close to the investigation. Once the Taliban identified him as more valuable in the U.S. than in Pakistan, they trained him to return to execute his bomb attack. 

But according to these sources, Shahzad also had a web of jihadist contacts that included big names tied to terror attacks in the U.S. and abroad, including the figure who has emerged as a central figure in many recent domestic terror attempts - radical American-born Muslim cleric Anwar Awlaki. 

Besides Awlaki, sources say Shahzad was also linked to a key figure in the Pakistani Taliban, its Emir Beitullah Mehsud, who was killed in a drone missile strike in 2009. The Mehsuds had been family friends of Shahzad, who is the son of a former high-ranking Pakistani military officer. 

Sources told ABC News that Shahzad was childhood friends with one of the alleged masterminds of the Mumbai massacre of 2008, in which more than 170 people died. 

Shahzad is also said to be linked to a man named Muhammed Rehan, whom Pakistani authorities reportedly have in custody. Sources said Rehan helped Shahzad travel to Peshawar and then to Waziristan and made introductions to the Taliban. 

ABC did not find out why all of those overseas terrorists had a problem with Obamacare as suggested by NYC Mayor Bloomberg.

Seven men have been arrested in Pakistan in connection with the failed car bombing, including two in Karachi and five in Punjab Province. Shahzad's faither-in-law has also been detained, and Shahzad's father, wife and children may be in protective custody. 

Rolled up all together this report is just additional confirmation that the the attempted Times Square Bombing was another case of Islamist Terrorism, not a single "nut job" or a man-made disaster.