US arrests over Times Square bomb plot

Authorities in the US have raided locations in New York, Boston and Philadelphia in connection with the failed Times Square bombing and arrested several people.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement said there were three immigration-related arrests, according to a spokeswoman who would not disclose further details.

According to an official in Massachusetts, two of the men detained had a "direct connection" to Times Square suspect Faisal Shahzad.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing, said the two were believed to have provided money to Shahzad.

However, he added that investigators weren't sure whether they were witting accomplices or simply moving funds, as is common between Middle Eastern and Central Asian nationals who live in the US.