Posted on 05/01/2010 9:09:39 PM PDT by Steelfish
Times Square Is Evacuated in Bomb Scare
The scene at Times Square on Saturday night after police found a suspicious package inside a Pathfinder on West 45th Street.
RAY RIVERA and KARIN HENRY May 1, 2010
A bomb in Times Square led to the evacuation of thousands of tourists and theatergoers from the area on a warm and busy Saturday evening, the police said. There was no explosion.
“It appears to be a car bomb left in a Pathfinder between Seventh and Eighth,” said Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman. The device, he said, contained “explosive elements” that included “propane tanks, some kind of powder, gasoline and a timing device.”
“This is very much an active investigation,” he said.
The device was discovered by a mounted police officer who saw a box with smoke pouring from it in the back of the Pathfinder, Mr. Browne said. The officer called for backup, and the Fire Department and bomb squad.
The Pathfinder’s back window was broken out, Mr. Browne said, and the police sent in a “robotic device” to “observe it.”
Police began evacuating Times Square, starting with businesses along Seventh Avenue, including a Foot Locker store and a McDonald’s restaurant.
The license plates on the Nissan were registered to a Ford, the police said.
A New York City firefighter who told Reuters he arrived early on the scene said that the vehicle was smoking and that he saw “a flash” from the back of the it. “We put two and two together” and the evacuation was ordered, he said. Broadway was closed between at least 43rd and 46th Streets, and the police also appeared to be closing off part of Eighth Avenue.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
“Idon’t think anyone with a brain could have done such a bad job of building a bomb.”
Except the guys who tried to blow up their shoes and their under drawers. ;-)
And btw, 0bama should go to NYC and kiss the asses of those two cops, then the entire bomb squad, for the intelligent, quick response. Mayor Bloomberg, also, should be grateful and thank these officers publicly. Then he should double the foot patrols in vulnerable areas.
People, not japanese tourists. They just happen to be some of the people in the picture. I thought someone would write that.
I’ll have to grant that trying to build a bomb in my underwear might be tough
Isn’t it odd we are facing more and more of this since Obama became President?
“NYPD - CrimeStoppers - Tip Submit”
https://a056-crimestoppers.nyc.gov/crimestoppers/public/tipForm.cfm?pgLang=english&mwID=0
https://a056-crimestoppers.nyc.gov/crimestoppers/public/tipForm.cfm?pgLang=english&mwID=0
TIPS phone number: “1-800-577-TIPS”
SNIPPET - quote:
https://a056-crimestoppers.nyc.gov/crimestoppers/public/index.cfm
If you have information regarding a crime committed or a wanted person, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS, text “TIP577” (plus your message) to “CRIMES” (274637), or submit a tip online.
Si tienes informacion sobre un crimen cometido o de una persona buscada por favor llame a Crime Stoppers a 1 800 577 TIPS o mande su texto a “C R I M E S” (274637), luego entre “T I P 577” o envie su informacion sobre el internet.
Obama’s more worried about the threat all those tea-partying grannies pose.
Some jihadists with a car bomb? We just need to sit down with them and listen to their grievances. /sarc
Sunday, May 2, 2010
10:43 pm
UPDATED 1:39 AM
“Police Diffuse Car Bomb In Times Square”
By: NY1 News
SNIPPET: “Police are on the scene in Times Square this morning where authorities say they discovered and are in the process of dismantling a bomb inside an SUV.
The device, made of three propane tanks and two gasoline containers, apparently had a timing device attached to it. It was discovered by a passing New York City Police Department patrolman in a Nissan Pathfinder that was idling with its hazard lights on.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 45th Street and Seventh Avenue, where they discovered a smoking package inside the SUV. Bomb squad officers arrived soon after.
Initially police had received a call of a car fire just after 6 p.m.
There were reports from witnesses of a small explosion by the car, followed by many people running from the scene.
Police evacuated a block of 45th Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues, and several Broadway theaters and restaurants were cleared of patrons.”
UPDATE:
“3 cops, street vendor stop Times Square car bomb from detonating; Gas, clock found inside car”
BY ALISON GENDAR, ROCCO PARASCANDOLA, KEVIN DEUTSCH AND SAMUEL GOLDSMITH
DAILY NEWS WRITERS
Originally Published:Saturday, May 1st 2010, 9:34 PM
Updated: Sunday, May 2nd 2010, 3:20 AM
SNIPPET: “Three heroic cops and a quick-thinking street vendor stopped a madman from detonating a car bomb in the heart of Times Square Saturday night, law enforcement officials told the Daily News.
The T-shirt vendor - a Vietnam vet - told Officer Wayne Rhatigan there was smoke coming from a Nissan SUV on the southwest corner of 45th St. and Broadway about 7 p.m., sources said.
Rhatigan approached the car, saw the smoke, and sprang into action.
“I did a lap around the vehicle. The inside was smoking,” Rhatigan told the Daily News Saturday night. “I smelled gunpowder and knew it might blow. I thought it might blow any second.”
He grabbed two rookie female cops patrolling the area. Together, they pushed hundreds of people away from the scene as they called for backup, he said.
The Fire Department and bomb squad rushed to the scene.
What they found was stunning: a running SUV packed with three propane tanks, two red 5-gallon plastic jugs of gasoline, a clock, electrical components and a canister of gunpowder, police sources said.”
Time to inform the arab world, that the 1st time one of these things goes off in this country, we will nuke Mecca 2-3 times, no matter who rigged the bomb, and to hell with arab sensibilities.
We got lucky that the bomb did not go off.
A sophisticated bomb would not have smoked before detonating, giving no warning.
UPDATE:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2505049/posts
#
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/05/pakistani_taliban_cl.php
“Pakistani Taliban claim credit for failed NYC Times Square car bombing”
By BILL ROGGIO
May 2, 2010 10:24 AM
SNIPPET: “Qari Hussain Mehsud, the top bomb maker for the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, said he takes “fully responsibility for the recent attack in the USA.” Qari Hussain made the claim on an audiotape accompanied by images that was released on a YouTube website that calls itself the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan News Channel.
The tape has yet to be verified, but US intelligence officials contacted by The Long War Journal believe it is legitimate. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan News Channel on YouTube was created on April 30. Officials believe it was created to announce the Times Square attack, and Qari Hussain’s statement was pre-recorded.
All indications are the tape is legitimate. YouTube has pulled the video and shut down the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan News Channel since this article was published.
Qari Hussain Mehsud. Image is from a Pakistani Army wanted poster.
“This attack is a revenge for the great & valuable martyred leaders of mujahideen,” Qari Hussain said. He listed Baitullah Mehsud, the former leader of the Pakistani Taliban who was killed in a Predator strike in August 2009, and Abu Omar al Baghdadi, the former leader of al Qaeda Islamic State of Iraq who was killed by Iraqi forces in mid-April. And although he was not mentioned, an image of Abu Ayyub al Masri, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, was also displayed in the images accompanying the audiotape.”
Note: Photo included.
May 2, 2010
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://newyork.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel10/nyfo050210.htm
FBI JTTF and NYPD Conduct Investigation into Times Square Vehicle Incident
On May 1, 2010, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York, along with the NYPD, responded to Times Square in response to a suspicious vehicle and device. Bomb technicians, Evidence Response Team members, and investigators were on scene and a command post was established. Both the device and the vehicle are currently being examined by the FBI and NYPD. Numerous FBI offices have been tasked with leads to assist with the investigation and every lead will be followed.
FBI and NYPD investigators are aware of the various reports of claims for placing the car and device in Times Square. As we’ve seen previously, it is not uncommon after any similar event for claims of responsibility to be made—and those claims will be investigated. Knowingly providing false information can be a crime.
Since the beginning of the investigation, there have been numerous reports in the public domain, many of which will eventually be determined to be inaccurate. More information will be forthcoming as soon as it is available and appropriate for release. George Venizelos, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York FBI has pledged, “All of the resources of the New York FBI will be made available to assist with this ongoing investigation.”
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/02/new-york-city-police-investigate-failed-new-york-city-bombing/m
Updated May 02, 2010
“New York City Police Examine Several Leads in Failed Times Square Car Bombing”
FOXNews.com
SNIPPET: “A monitoring group said Sunday that the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the bomb but Kelly said there is “no evidence” linking the group to the bomb, which prompted thousands of tourists to be cleared from the streets for 10 hours while the explosive was dismantled.”
SNIPPET: “Kelly said during a press conference Sunday that the NYPD is analyzing a surveillance video showing a unidentified white male in his 40’s fleeing the scene. Kelly said the man is seen in the footage shedding a dark-colored shirt in an alley and putting it in a bag, revealing a red one underneath.”
I should hope that someone saved this recording. Seems interesting that they are already trying to pin this on some white guy.
No one is trying to “pin this on some white guy.”
That was the latest update and I’ll post updates as they come in.
Looks like the media is to me.
I do not consider the lame-stream media an investigative unit, a law enforcement agency, or any one of the alphas.
That said, again, that is the latest public update.
I’ll update as updates become available.
The updates are appreciated.
Thank you meyer.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.