michelle franzen live for us outside the courthouse in new york where this arraignment we're expecting it to start here very soon. thank you, michelle. >>> more now on the suspect. faisal shahzad connection in pakistan. where he was actually born. also, where more people were possibly connected to this case have been rounded up today. carol grisnati is an nbc news producer. she is in pakistan, joins me now by phone. let's start off with the people who have been taken into custody. a, have they been arrested, and what do we know about them? >> well, tamron, there's a sixth suspect taken into custody tonight. mohammed rahan. rahan is the one who met faisal shahzad in karachi when he arrived from the u.s. last july. the two drove together to peshawar. the other five are believed also to be friends and perhaps facilitators of mohammed shahzad. they helped him get to training camps or wherever else he wanted to go and whomever else he wanted to meet when he was in pakistan. at least that's what the pakistani officials here believe at the moment tonight. little by little we are learning more

michelle franzen has more on that. >> reporter: for the first time in five years, more americans are expected to travel this memorial day weekend. a nearly 5.5% spike from last year alone when tighter budgets trump the traditional holiday getaway. >> i think it's better than last year. things are improving last year, so i think we're more willing to go. we didn't go anywhere last year. >> reporter: this year, travelers are planning ahead. >> aaa travel agents are reporting double digit increases in advanced reservations for travelers. >> reporter: 87% of travelers will hit the road, even though gas is slightly higher than a year ago, it is still below the record set in 2008. air travel will also be up slightly. don't expect airlines to add flights. instead, there will be a premium on available seats and price. >> you can usually find a flight but you'll pay out the nose for it. >> reporter: the one factor that could spoil plans for travelers, the gulf oil spill and its impact on popular vacation spots like new orleans and florida beaches. >> a lot of people have asked us that have ma