The night’s events, which are gradually coming to light, underscored the flaws in the nation’s aviation security system, which despite its technologies, lists and information sharing, often comes down to someone making a right call.

As federal agents closed in, Mr Shahzad was aboard Emirates Flight 202. He reserved a ticket on the way to John F. Kennedy International Airport, paid cash on arrival and walked through security without being stopped.

By the time Customs and Border Protection officials, using a no-fly list updated on Tuesday, spotted Mr Shahzad’s name on the passenger list and recognised him as the bombing suspect they were looking for, he was in his seat and the plane was preparing to leave the gate.

At the last minute, the pilot was notified, the jetliner’s door was opened and Mr Shahzad was taken into custody.

He later claimed to have been trained at a terror camp in Pakistan’s lawless tribal region of Waziristan, according to court documents. That raised increased concern that the bombing was an international terror plot.

New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that Mr Shahzad was cooperating with investigators and had waived his Miranda rights, which grant him the right to a lawyer and full US constitutional legal rights.

“He’s giving us significant information,” Mr Kelly told a New York television station. “We want to learn as much as we can about him, we want to learn about the training, who gave the training, where did it happen.”

Mr Shahzad told police he had worked on the bomb plot alone.

Mr Kelly said Mr Shahzad has a wife and two children living in Peshawar.

He hsad been charged with terrorism and attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction in Saturday evening’s failed Times Square bombing.