CO Man suspected in subway plot has ties to al-Qaeda

The Colorado man under FBI investigation into an alleged New York subway terror plot has admitted he has ties to Al Qaeda and is in negotiations to plead guilty to a terror charge, a source at the Department of Justice told FOX News.

The source said 24-year-old Najibullah Zazi, who until now had protested that he had no connection to Al Qaeda, changed his story Friday. Zazi reportedly told officials that he had received explosives training and may plead guilty as part of a deal to cooperate with the government.

A senior intelligence official in Washington told The Associated Press that Zazi has indicated that he is directly linked with Al Qaeda. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss intelligence matters, said Zazi played a crucial role in an intended terrorist attack but that it was not immediately clear what the targets were.

The official went on to say that the plot was being directed from outside the United States.

Authorities suspect Zazi of receiving training in an al-Qaeda camp in Pakistan. He apparently rented a car and drove to New York City on September 10 with bomb diagrams on his computer.

This is quite alarming and may be indicative that al-Qaeda has some additional active cells in the country of which we know nothing. This case bears watching for further revelations that may show how widespread the plot might be.