Simi Posted 2 May 2010 Posted 2 May 2010 Link New York City police have defused an improvised car bomb parked in Times Square, one of the city's busiest tourist areas, officials say.They say propane tanks, fireworks, petrol, and a clock device were removed from a parked sports utility vehicle. Part of the district - where many theatres are sited - was sealed off. Both US President Barack Obama and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the quick response by the New York Police Department. "We are very lucky," Mr Bloomberg told reporters. "Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have been a very deadly event." Thousands of tourists were evacuated from the area after a T-shirt vendor alerted the police when he spotted smoke coming from a Nissan Pathfinder. Heavily armed police and emergency vehicles then shut down many of the busiest streets in Manhattan, which were filled with theatregoers in the heart of Broadway. Many who had gathered on 43rd Street and Broadway were shocked to hear that the iconic Times Square had been sealed off due to a suspected car bomb. Theatregoers reported that police officers had come onto the stage during and after some of the Broadway shows to ask the audience if they had any information about the vehicle. He said the bomb "looked amateurish" but could have exploded, adding that the incident was a "reminder of the dangers that we face". Lucky escape it looks like, thankfully. Fair play to the people in the street spotting it.
Jordan Posted 2 May 2010 Posted 2 May 2010 Link Lucky escape it looks like, thankfully. Fair play to the people in the street spotting it. I don't think the name of the vendor that spotted the bomb has been released, but news reports say he was a Vietnam veteran. What a shame that, after years in a hellish situation, that he had the be put in such a harrowing situation last night, but the guy is a hero for recognizing the danger in such a crowded place. Also, top marks to the NYPD for evacuating Times Square and defusing the bomb. I'm not sure what this does to Times Square in the future--or the city, which will always wear a scar from terrorism, as a whole for that matter. Sections of TS have been blocked off to vehicles in recent years as the city turned them into pedestrian-only areas. I'd expect to see increased security in TS, but also in other places like subways, etc. in response to this. Just this past week, two men were arrested in NYC, alleged with providing material support to al-Qaeda. The bomb defused last night seems to have been a crude, homemade contraption. It could have been made by anyone from an al-Qaeda operative as part of a larger terror scheme to a "lone wolf" with a personal grudge. Post-incident investigations might find out its creator, but sometimes not even the best counterterrorism can prevent someone from trying to attack.
BoneDog Posted 2 May 2010 Posted 2 May 2010 Whoever made this bomb is definitely an amatuer, which is obviously a good thing as no-one was hurt. Surely there must be some cctv of whoever left that car there. A place like Times Square must have constant surveillance
purpleronnie Posted 2 May 2010 Posted 2 May 2010 Whoever made this bomb is definitely an amatuer, which is obviously a good thing as no-one was hurt. Surely there must be some cctv of whoever left that car there. A place like Times Square must have constant surveillance America has far less CCTV than britain, but I agree you would think somewhere like Time square qould have decent surveillance.
Simi Posted 4 May 2010 Author Posted 4 May 2010 Bloke been arrested now at an airport, trying to fly to Dubai.
Benji Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 Banning the burka would really stop this sort of thing! Not without a foxestalk poll first
MC Prussian Posted 4 May 2010 Posted 4 May 2010 He's been arrested now. http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/04/2010-05-04_times_square_bomb_plot_suspect_faisal_shahzad_says_he_acted_alone_traced_by_cell.html
MC Prussian Posted 5 May 2010 Posted 5 May 2010 Yawn. More scare and fear mongering by the usual suspects. Well, Shahzad has now admitted to have planned the attack on Times Square. And parts of his family back in his native Pakistan are also under suspicion in assisting. What is it with (Islamic) Extremists and bombs? So old-fashioned and prone to technical errors. I guess one wife and two kids still don't compare to dozens of virgins in heaven. And it gives all peaceful Pakistanis a bad name. Once more. Shameful, just shameful.
Smudge Posted 5 May 2010 Posted 5 May 2010 Yawn. More scare and fear mongering by the usual suspects. I know, it's beggars belief that they could connect him with this crime. I mean who put his front door key with the car keys? Well, Shahzad has now admitted to have planned the attack on Times Square. And parts of his family back in his native Pakistan are also under suspicion in assisting. I guess one wife and two kids still don't compare to dozens of virgins in heaven. And it gives all peaceful Pakistanis a bad name. Once more. Shameful, just shameful. I think you have to go out with the victims to get the virgins, don't think he would have qualified.
Jordan Posted 5 May 2010 Posted 5 May 2010 haha @ Shahzad telling the coppers on the plane, "I was expecting you; are you NYPD or FBI?" Yeah, no shit he was "expecting" them--his bomb was a failure and the car/scene were full of so much evidence pointing to his direction that all that was missing was a video billboard on Times Square that said, "SHAHZAD DID IT." He was begging to be arrested and the only things that kept his detainment to the last minute were lax no-fly-list standards by airlines (that process has since been expedited). He seems to be cooperating quite nicely with the authorities and giving them tons of information even without any Dick Cheney Approved™ Enhanced Interrogation Techniques
Unit Posted 5 May 2010 Posted 5 May 2010 Just a noteworthy matter, the fella that discovered the bomb was infact a muslim immagrant, they're not all bad eh? P.S BAN THE BURKA
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