Times Square bomb fireworks came from Pike County store

Firecrackers failed to ignite gasoline and propane in crowded streets MATAMORAS, Pa. — Almost two months before he left his explosives laden Nissan SUV on a corner in the heart of Times Square, Faisal Shahzad was in Matamoras buying the fireworks, according to Phantom Fireworks Store Manager Jeremy Trimble. Trimble said Shahzad was shopping in his store on March 8 and legally bought fireworks, including two “fountain” devices that shoot a shower of 25 or more colored streamers and two “tubes” which shoot a colored aerial device up to 200 feet in the air. Trimble said that Shahzad wanted the tube’s explosive to be colored red. He also purchased five packages of 36 M-88 Silver Salute firecrackers. M-88 firecrackers, which contain 50 grams of black powder, should not be confused with more powerful M-80 fireworks. One account said a portion of a package of M-88s, attached to a propane tank, did explode at Times Square, but did not ignite the tank. “The M-88 he used wouldn’t damage a watermelon,” Phantom president Bruce Zoldan told The Associated Press “Thank goodness he used that,” Zoldan said, instead of more powerful illegal fireworks. Earlier accounts said the 30-year-old Pakistani native contacted Phantom in late April and that authorities made the connection to the store through Shahzad’s phone records. In contrast, Trimble said that Phantom, even before determining their role, “reached out to the FBI. Before then, we had no clue if we had sold them.” He said the Ohio-based company only wanted to aid the investigation. Later, he said, “we were able to identify him as the buyer.” Trimble would not say how the identification was made, but the store reportedly has video surveillance images of Shahzad. While Trimble was awash with local and national media queries Wednesday, Eastern Pike Regional Police Chief Chad Stewart said he had heard nothing officially from or about the investigation - only local rumors of the terror plot that had touched his beat. “After 911, the federal government said we’re all supposed to communicate. I guess the FBI apparently hasn’t heard that,” he said. Federal authorities say Shahzad, who is a naturalized citizen living in Bridgeport, Conn. has admitted training in a terror camp in Pakistan and has claimed he was alone in the bomb plot.