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Letters under scrutiny in NY blast (8 democrats received the letter)
AP via Yahoo! ^ | MATT APUZZO

Posted on 03/06/2008 4:11:01 PM PST by Brilliant

WASHINGTON - A law enforcement official says police are investigating letters sent to Capitol Hill offices showing pictures of a Times Square military recruiting station that was bombed.

According to the official, who was briefed on the investigation, the letters included words to the effect of, "We did it." The official did not know which offices received the letters.

The small bomb caused minor damage to the New York military recruiting station before dawn Thursday and police were searching for a hooded bicyclist seen on a surveillance video peddling away.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 200803; 3amcall; anarchists; bombing; capitolhill; coupat; democrats; demsecurity; frenchanarchists; juliencoupat; letters; military; newyork; newyorkcity; ny; nyc; recruitingoffice; recruitingstation; supportthetroops; timessquare; troops; yldune; yldunel
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To: penelopesire
I guess what is confusing me is the reports do not make it clear whether it was this ‘thursday(today)..or last thursday?

From AP via Houston Chronicle, Video shows bicyclist at scene of NYC bomb blast

..."The Associated Press obtained a copy of an e-mail from the office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to other lawmakers Thursday [today] that reads:

"A few offices on the House side have received a letter today addressed to 'Members of Congress' with a picture of a man standing in front of the Times Square recruiting station that was bombed in New York today with the statement 'We did it.' He is standing in front of it with his arms spread out and he's attached his political manifesto."

The e-mail advised recipients to leave the letters alone and call police."....

Other clues about the bicylist....

..."The private security video, though too murky for police to get a clear description of the cyclist, shows a figure riding along a traffic island in the glow of neon signs at about 3:38 a.m and getting off the bike just outside the recruitment center. About two minutes later, the cyclist rides away. Then the explosion occurs.

Investigators were studying other security videos, including one showing a man exiting a subway station about 10 blocks away carrying a bicycle, police said. The FBI was analyzing forensic evidence collected at the scene, Kelly said.

The commissioner cited other possible clues: A new bike discovered at about 7 a.m. in a Dumpster just a few blocks from the blast, and the sighting of a man spotted on a bike near the scene moments before the explosion.

The man caught the attention of a witness because he was riding slowly, wearing a backpack and a hooded jacket, Kelly said. The witness, who was buying a newspaper at the time, said because of the hood, the rider's face "was pretty much covered.""........
101 posted on 03/06/2008 6:26:05 PM PST by Girlene
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To: RDTF

Sure does..and if indeed the letters started arriving the day before..they had some help from the ‘inside’..like the congressional mailroom.
How else could they have timed it so perfectly?


102 posted on 03/06/2008 6:26:08 PM PST by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: BufordP

“The man was thin, white with graying hair, wearing a striped flannel shirt and jeans, according to the Democratic aide. ... “

Where was John Kerry when this happened?


103 posted on 03/06/2008 6:26:44 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: tgslTakoma
Unless it read, "I'm gonna bomb this spot on such-and-such day", it's just a crank letter from a nutjob. You don't know what the letter says. You don't know jack other than what you're reading on the web, in the papers, or on TV. Pure conjecture until you hear different or have a friend working the investigation and giving you an inside scoop.

All the crap that pours out on FR sans the fcats. Everybody trying to be Huck. Give me a break.

104 posted on 03/06/2008 6:27:15 PM PST by BufordP (Had Mexicans flown planes into the World Trade Center, Jorge Bush would have surrendered.)
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To: penelopesire

not sure what the intent is here. Middle of the night - not intended to hurt anyone - and not to mention minor damage to safety glass


105 posted on 03/06/2008 6:28:38 PM PST by RDTF (Go AEGIS!)
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To: penelopesire
I don't much care for conservatives acting like 'rats. I see it a lot on FR. I guess this kind of behavior transcends politics.

Seems to me the police ARE investigating.

106 posted on 03/06/2008 6:29:43 PM PST by BufordP (Had Mexicans flown planes into the World Trade Center, Jorge Bush would have surrendered.)
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To: cmsgop

I like your tagline. I love that movie, although I find the langugage a bit difficult to take at times.


107 posted on 03/06/2008 6:29:55 PM PST by Not A Snowbird (Some people are like slinkys, the idea of them tumbling down a flight of stairs makes you smile.)
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To: DoughtyOne
I have seen some of the pics of the damage from this "small" bomb.. and let me tell ya it did some serious damage to the place.. twisted that door up good.


108 posted on 03/06/2008 6:31:19 PM PST by eXe (Si vis pacem, para bellum)
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To: BufordP

From WNBC:

Canadian Border Incident, Photos Part Of Times Square Investigation
WNBC-TV
updated 9:28 p.m. ET, Thurs., March. 6, 2008

NEW YORK - WNBC.com has learned that NYPD and FBI officials are now revisiting an incident that occurred along the Canadian border last month because they are concerned there might be a connection to the Times Square explosion. Images: Times Square ExplosionRaw Video: Man On Bike Sets Off ExplosionWatch Report

Four men trying to cross the border tried to flee the checkpoint when Canadian officials tried to question them, investigators said. Two of the men got away, officials said.

The men left behind a backpack with photos of various New York City locations including Times Square, according to sources speaking on condition of anonymity.

One of the photos included the military recruitment center, officials said. As a precaution, NYPD outreach officers last month went to various New York City businesses, including the Times Square recruitment center, to investigate if there had been any recent threats. No threat information was known at the time.

But after this morning’s explosion, FBI, NYPD and other agencies are now reaching out to Canadian authorities to try to learn more about the men. One law enforcement official described two of the men as being “anarchist-types” and not terrorists.

He stressed there is nothing to link the border incident to the explosion or the Capitol Hill letters at this time. Law enforcement officials and congressional staffers said numerous letters claiming responsibility for the Times Square explosion arrived at Capitol Hill offices Thursday.

Investigators said the letters included a picture of a man standing with his arms wide apart in front of the Armed Forces Recruiting Station stating “Happy New Year, We Did It.” Law enforcement officials said they do not know if the man in the picture is connected to Thursday morning’s blast.

They said the letter, which included a somewhat lengthy manifesto, was signed with a name.

Officials stressed no suspect has been named and no one is in custody at this time.

Capitol Police put out a statement late Thursday, “The U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI are working together to investigate letters received by various members of Congress. There is no established connection between these letters and the NYC Times Square incident this morning. The investigation is ongoing...more details as they become available.”

Law enforcement and congressional sources told WNBC the letters sent to the Washington offices of several U.S. Representatives contained a photo that is now being compared to the images captured by video surveillance cameras in Times Square.

One congressional staffer who saw the letter said it included a photo showing a white man who appeared to be in his 30s with red hair. The staffer said the man, who?s face was clearly visible, was standing in front of the military recruiting offices in Times Square.

The source said the letters had a Los Angeles return address. However, the staffer said it was not possible to determine if it was genuine. The staffer said a Capitol Hill policeman who came to get the letter said, “We think this is the guy.”

The small bomb caused minor damage to the New York military recruiting station before dawn Thursday and police were searching for a hooded bicyclist seen on a surveillance video peddling away.

Times Square was shut down as police looked for a suspect, who was possibly riding a bicycle. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said officers have recovered a bicycle from the trash on 38th Street while searching the area. The bike was in good shape, Kelly said.

The blast appears to have been caused by a small, powdered device that shattered the glass facade of the recruiting station. Sources tell WNBC that the expolsive powder is believed to be low grade and not very sophisticated.

The FBI and NYPD have launched a joint investigation into the incident and are examining evidence collected at the scene.

Law enforcement officials are looking into whether the bomber is the same person who threw explosive devices at the British and Mexican Consulates in the early morning hours in the past couple of years.

Kelly said a witness told police he saw a person riding a bicycle and acting suspiciously around the time of Thursday’s blast.

?The individual (on the bicycle) was wearing a hood and dark colored clothing, also carrying a backpack. He did not see the individual?s face,? Kelly said. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the bomber will be found and prosecuted ?to the full extent of the law.? ?Whoever the coward was that committed this disgraceful act on our city will be found,” said Bloomberg. “We will not tolerate such attacks.”

Traffic was shut down along Broadway and 7th Avenues as well as several streets in the West 40s. Subway service along the 1,2,3,N,Q,R,W and shuttle had been skipping Time Square stops as the investigation continues through about 6 am but has since resumed service MTA officials said.

Kelly said police are still uncertain whether the incident is linked to two previous bombings in the past three years.

In October, witnesses told police they saw a man on a bicycle throwing a small black powdered device at the Mexican Consulate in Midtown. In May 2005, a similar incident also occurred at the British Consulate building. No one was hurt in either of those two incidents.

“In 2005, 2007, dummy hand grenades were used and the explosive, black powder, was put into those grenades and that caused the explosion,” Kelly said. “Here, it may be similar powder — we still have to determine that. But it was placed in an ammunition box. That was the carrier for the explosive. There was no grenade.”

John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president and a former Navy lieutenant commander, called the Times Square explosion “unacceptable.”

“We cannot allow this to happen to the men and women serving in our military whether they are at home or abroad,” McCain said.

New York Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said “federal, state, and city authorities should be given every resource and every tool to swiftly complete that investigation.”


109 posted on 03/06/2008 6:32:15 PM PST by tgslTakoma
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To: BufordP
So they have a photograph of this guy's face, and literature likely from a group he is associated with. There is also a RETURN ADDRESS, wonder if he was dumb enough to use one he can be connected with. Sounds like it won't take a genius to catch this guy!
110 posted on 03/06/2008 6:32:45 PM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?)
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To: BufordP

There is nothing wrong with demanding an investigation by Congress. The dems have demanded investigations for far less.


111 posted on 03/06/2008 6:32:58 PM PST by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: tgslTakoma; Cindy

ping to 109


112 posted on 03/06/2008 6:33:35 PM PST by RDTF (Go AEGIS!)
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To: BufordP

I don’t care for scumbags from the left bombing and trashing our Armed Service’s recruiting stations all over the country!!

I don’t care for republicans laying down and letting the democrats walk all over them!

And I certainly don’t care for a democrat run country!


113 posted on 03/06/2008 6:36:23 PM PST by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: All
ARTICLE SNIPPET from post no. 109:

"The men left behind a backpack with photos of various New York City locations including Times Square, according to sources speaking on condition of anonymity.

One of the photos included the military recruitment center, officials said. As a precaution, NYPD outreach officers last month went to various New York City businesses, including the Times Square recruitment center, to investigate if there had been any recent threats."

114 posted on 03/06/2008 6:36:57 PM PST by Cindy
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To: penelopesire
Yea and post 63 says the letter(s?) were/was postmarked Feb 28, only ONE week ago.

You can bet they got them before today.

No way would efficient security measures let letters with threats in them sit around for weeks.

Unless...I hate to think what the dems are capable of

115 posted on 03/06/2008 6:39:55 PM PST by Syncro
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To: RDTF
Middle of the night - not intended to hurt anyone - and not to mention minor damage to safety glass.

This looks like a little more serious than minor damage.






116 posted on 03/06/2008 6:40:31 PM PST by Girlene
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To: Girlene

I guess so relatively speaking


117 posted on 03/06/2008 6:41:45 PM PST by RDTF (Go AEGIS!)
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To: DoughtyOne
It bothers me that they keep refering to this bomb as small. Any pedestrian that would have been walking by could have been killed or severely injured by this blast.


118 posted on 03/06/2008 6:43:11 PM PST by mdittmar (May God watch over those who serve,and have served,to keep us free)
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To: mdittmar

Yeah, looks like twisted steel to me......


119 posted on 03/06/2008 6:45:14 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo (Carry Daily. Apply Sparingly.)
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To: Cindy
One of the photos included the military recruitment center, officials said. As a precaution, NYPD outreach officers last month went to various New York City businesses, including the Times Square recruitment center, to investigate if there had been any recent threats. No threat information was known at the time.Too bad Congress didn't talk with the NYPD

Oh, by the way, I think the House better get off their collective asses and sign that damn surveillance bill.

120 posted on 03/06/2008 6:46:24 PM PST by mware (Americans in arm chairs doing the job that the media refuses to do.)
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