Two of U.S. President Barack Obama's senior intelligence aides have briefed Pakistani officials on last month's failed car bombing in New York City's Times Square.
Mr. Obama's National Security Adviser, General James Jones, and CIA director, Leon Panetta, met with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan's army chief (General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani) in Islamabad Wednesday. Officials discussed the botched May 1 plot, which has been blamed on the Pakistani Taliban.
In a joint statement following the talks, Jones praised Pakistan's "excellent" cooperation in fighting terrorism. The discussions also focused on measures that "both countries are, and will be taking" to confront the common threat of extremism and to prevent such potential attacks from occurring again.
Jones and Panetta provided Pakistani officials with an update on the investigation into the failed bombing and the chief suspect, Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad.
A White House spokesman said the Obama administration believes it is time to redouble efforts with Pakistan to close what he called "this safe haven."
On Tuesday, Shahzad, a Pakistan-born U.S. citizen, appeared in U.S. federal court for the first time since his arrest two weeks ago on terrorism and weapons charges.
Shahzad did not enter a plea. Judge James Francis ordered him to remain in federal custody until his preliminary hearing, which is scheduled for June 1.
The suspect was arrested May 3 after law enforcement agents connected him to a car parked in Times Square with a crude bomb inside. He was tracked down and removed from an airplane as it prepared to leave New York for Dubai.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
