UPDATE 1-US has 'good leads' in car bomb probe -AG Holder

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WASHINGTON May 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Monday that investigators had made substantial progress in the investigation into the failed car bombing attempt in New York's Times Square and that those involved would eventually be caught.

"I think that we have made really substantial progress," Holder told reporters, adding that "ultimately this investigation will be successful and the people responsible for that attempt will be found and brought to justice."

Holder said that investigators were still looking for the individual spotted in a surveillance video near the scene.

Police said that a white man in his 40s was spotted in security video footage about half a block from where the sport utility vehicle that contained the bomb was left with its engine running and hazard lights flashing on Saturday evening.

"We have some good leads," Holder told reporters, referring to that individual in the footage. "We are following a number of other leads as well."

Holder was cautious about linking it to international terrorism and claims of responsibility by the Taliban in Pakistan.

"I know that group in the past has claimed responsibility for incidents that (they) ultimately were not connected to," he said, adding it was too early to say who was in fact responsible for the attempted attack. (Reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky; editing by Paul Simao and Jackie Frank)