New York: Captured top al-Qaida operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has surprised CIA interrogators with his willingness to spill the details of terror plots in the US, including his network's plans to attack gas stations and suspension bridges in Washington and New York.

In recent days, Mohammed has confirmed that al-Qaida had specific plans to attack the gas stations and suspension bridges, 'Newsweek' magazine reported.

However, more importantly, it said, he has revealed much about the terror group's methods and he has named names. Mohammed identified Pakistani operative Majid Khan as a "key soldier" in the United States.

He told his captors how Khan, who was recently detained by Pakistani authorities, was deployed to America to gather intelligence on potential targets.

Mohammed tasked a relative of Khan to identify the proper machine tools to loosen bolts on suspension bridges. Khan's family owns a gas station in the United States, and as an Ohio-based commercial truck driver, his relative would not arouse suspicions asking about tools.

Some in the intelligence community, the magazine said, have questioned whether Mohammed and other detainees may be feeding the Americans disinformation.

But Newsweek quoted sources as saying the CIA has been able to corroborate much of what Mohammed has said.

At one point, the attacks were planned to occur on 9-11. But Osama Bin Laden personally nixed the idea, US intelligence sources told the magazine.

PTI