Authorities Lost Faisal Shahzad in Traffic

CBS News national correspondent Jim Axelrod reports while under surveillance on Monday afternoon, Faisal Shahzad gave law enforcement the slip.

"I can't give you the specifics, I can't tell you why they lost surveillance on him," said New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. "It happens, we prefer it doesn't happen."

For at least 90 mintues, surveillance teams lost contact with a man accused of trying to set off a car bomb in Times Square.

"My understanding was that he was lost for several hours and obviously he came very close to getting out of the country," said Rep. Peter King of New York.

Special Section: Terrorism in the U.S.

CBS News has learned that by Sunday night, the FBI had not only identified Shahzad as a likely suspect, but knew of his whereabouts. By 12:30 Monday afternoon, Shahzad was placed on a no-fly list.

Also on Monday, a surveillance team was watching his apartment and monitoring his emails and phone calls. They could have arrested him, but sources tell CBS News they held back - hoping to uncover leads to other possible associates and plots.

CBS News Exclusive: New Image of Faisal Shahzad in Times Square

By late Monday afternoon, he drove away from his Bridgeport, Connecticut apartment in his white Isuzu Trooper. Sources tell CBS News the surveillance team lost him in traffic as he drove south toward New York's Kennedy airport.

"It's only in TV and the movies where nothing goes wrong," said former NYPD Officer Eugene O'Donnell, now a professor of police science.

Faisal Shahzad on Homeland Security List Since 1999

Not only had Faisal Shahzad eluded a surveillance team, he was carrying a 9 millimeter hand gun with extra ammunition.

"If they had apprehended him at the airport and he pulled a gun in the parking lot - we could have had FBI agents losing their lives," Rep. King said.

Or, perhaps he could have gone into the terminal shooting. Attorney General Eric Holder was confident the arrest would be made.

"I was never in any fear that we were in danger of losing him," Holder said.

But there are fears this story with a successful conclusion could have had a much different ending.

Video: Shahzad in Times Square

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[gorgeousm]

Hey Turbidite!

Prevention is what you naively fail to grasp, Turbidite.

We won't be nominating you for security minister/adviser anytime soon.

So continue to live in your dream world and in your fool's paradise in this fast-changing world and the religious poison within, but don't endanger others who want, and as you, need protection.

[martin9p2]

I guess the police did not WANT him on the no-fly list too soon, so that the bomber would not be tipped off at the airport. Police wanted to see who he called or talked to until the very last minute. Then they got him off the plane. Don't be so cynical.

[martin9p2]

I'd like to think the police LET the bomber get on the plane to see who he would sit next to or talk to, and that "losing him in traffic" was a "suggestion" so that people wouldn't ask why he was allowed on plane. I wouldn't be so cynical. The bomber was caught hours after the bombing.

[ralpher009]

This whole narrative makes no sense. First, in a case like this you do not take chances - you arrest this guy when you had him covered at his house; you do not wait. Second, someone of this importance - did the authorities have no clue what they were doing? How could you loose him in traffic??????? Would you not be following this guy with multiple vehicles in chase? Would you not stop him immediately once you determined he was heading for JFK airport? He should not have been allowed to get anywhere near the airport; once he got in his car, he should have been arrested right then and there.
Its unbelievable that with a couple of more minutes this guy would have been outside U.S. airspace. Very, very bad!

[margroks]

It was a close call but conducting survelliance does sometimes end with lost suspects and I do understand why they waited so they might catch someone else if possible and they did eventually get him. The real problem is that the No Fly List was screwed up adn not updated appropriately adn that is the real reason this guy almost escaped the country.

And is anyone else sick of seeing this creeps face all over? I am.

[bigtimej--2008]

F.B.I. in fear of losing their lives? why the hell be an agent?

[winstrv]

This guy is a naturalized citizen who was granted American citizenship. That needs to be revoked and when he gets out of prison, deport him. All these left wing morons are trying to figure out why he did it and are making excuses for his actions. He is a terrorist plain and simple. He should be in GITMO like the rest of them. One of these days one of them is going to succeed. I wonder what excuses Obama and Holder will make for them when it does happen. No more attempts when Bush was President. So far 3 under Obama.

[gorgeousm]

EAST - WEST WAR INEVITABLE. MORE SERIOUSLY APOCALYPTIC THAN MANY RECOGNIZE

As unfortunate as it may seem, the most sound suggestion, advice, caution, recommendation, warning, or combination of these following postulates and corollaries are:

1. Be prepared for war with all of its ugly, dreaded consequences.
2. Be prepared to WIN as we in the West have no alternative, forcing us to deal with illogical, irrational, religious mentalities.
3. Better to be early than too late.
The longer we wait, the higher the toll(of death, destruction and other costs).

Our way of life - including living standards and safety - is being threatened by forces of 'religious darkness', which in the name of Allah are immutably determined to punish and destroy much or even most of what the Western Euro/American civilizations have established and built.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that Taliban, Al Qaeda, Iranian-modeled 'holy/Godly' duty, has inspired a 'murder-and-die-for' religious Islamic mindset, having its followers believe and follow, that the rewards in the afterlife are indeed (in their minds) higher in purpose, and more important than our existence in mortal life.

Apocalyptic planning and praying is an all-consuming most dangerous 'reality' to such 'higher-purposed' religious fanatics, particularly of Middle East origin.


Our Western Free World leaders better take heed of the following:

WHAT WE BELIEVE IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN WHAT DEVOUT DELUSIONAL, DESTRUCTIVE,
RELIGIOUS MINDSETS WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ZEALOUSLY ACQUIRING WEAPONS AND DEVICES OF MASS DESTRUCTION
- TO BE 'APPLIED' AGAINST US -
BELIEVE, FOLLOW AND PREPARE FOR THE APOCALYPTIC, END-OF-WORLD SCENARIO, AS THEIR
HOLY/GODLY DUTY!

[Turbidite]

I been hearing people like you all my long life. Asian hordes are come, Soviet communists are coming, Muslim masses are coming. No wars were fought. Nobody came. I strongly advise you to find a good psychiatrist and pay him/her whatever they charge....it will be worth it and you will feel much better.

[gorgeousm]

Hey Turbidite!

Prevention is what you naively fail to grasp, Turbidite.

We won't be nominating you for security minister/adviser anytime soon.

So continue to live in your dream world and in your fool's paradise in this fast-changing world and the religious poison within, but don't endanger others who want, and as you, need protection.

[NYPD1966]

CBS is doing an injustice to all by showing all of these sunglass/ smiling pictures of this would-be mass murderer. He was trying to KILL US!!

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06]

Not trying to kill me. I was in Texas when this happened.

[jdbynum3]

CBS you should be so proud. You have given this idiot a lot of hollywood type exposure and now his bud's have something to aspire to.
Get real people.