President Barack Obama made a stop in New York City Thursday to thank the city's police department for its work in tracking down and arresting a man accused of attempting to detonate a car bomb in Times Square on May 1. Mr. Obama told officers their swift work and cooperation with federal investigators in the case serves as a model for law enforcement everywhere.
President Obama paid a visit to New York Police Department headquarters accompanied by the city's Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
He told the some 30 police officers in attendance that he was proud of their work following the attempted May 1 bombing in Times Square. A 30-year-old Pakistani-American was arrested just 53 hours after he left a bomb-laden SUV smoldering in the busy Times Square area on a Saturday night.
Faisal Shahzad was arrested as he tried to leave the United States on board an Emirates Air flight to Dubai.
The president thanked New York City police for their coordination with other law-enforcement agencies and said he wants to make sure the force gets the support it needs to protect the city.
"I was telling the mayor and the commissioner that the work that the NYPD does is coordination with state, local and federal officials when it comes to counter-terrorism is a model for the country. It has been for some time," he said.
Shahzad has admitted to planning the failed attack in Times Square and U.S. officials say he has been cooperating with investigators.
On Thursday, the FBI raided homes in three states, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, in connection with the ongoing investigation. Authorities say 3 people have been arrested.