A 52-year-old California man with ties to victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks has been arrested in Pakistan for trying to kill Osama bin Laden and two of his senior aides.
Gary Brooks Faulkner came to the attention of Pakistani authorities after he checked out of a hotel near the Afghan border on June 3 without informing the police escort that had been given to him as a tourist visiting a remote part of Pakistan.
After checking out of the hotel, Faulkner then traveled to the border with Afghanistan but was stopped before he could cross. When he was arrested on Sunday, Faulkner was armed with a pistol, a 40-inch sword, and night-vision equipment. After being questioned by authorities, Faulkner said that he wanted to use the sword to "decapitate" bin Laden.
Officials with the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan have been informed of Faulkner's arrest, and are trying to meet with him to confirm his identity.