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Bomb Shakes Building in Times Square
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Authorities are investigating an explosion that occurred this morning at a military recruiting station. It is not the first in New York’s recent history.
30-Second Summary
No one was inside the station and no injuries have been reported. Occurring at around 3:45 a.m., the explosion, though small, shattered glass in the entryway and shook hotel guests in rooms high above.
New Yorkers interviewed in a video clip from The NewsRoom said that the blast reminded them that they are always vulnerable to attack.
CBS reports that a man in a gray hooded sweatshirt was seen bicycling away from the scene.
Investigators have not yet determined if the explosion was linked to two extremely similar events in the city.
In October, two small bombs exploded outside the Mexican Consulate, causing minor damage. No one was injured.
As with this morning’s attack, a witness reported seeing a man in a gray hooded sweatshirt on a bicycle leaving the area. Police could not confirm that he threw the grenades.
Two small bombs exploded outside the British Consulate in May 2005, shattering concrete and glass, but causing no injuries. The incident occurred the same day Britons re-elected British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
All three incidents involved crude, homemade bombs and occurred at around the same time in the morning.
"If it is something that's directed toward American troops, then it's something that's taken very seriously and is pretty unfortunate," Army Capt. Charlie Jaquillard, who is the commander of Army recruiting in Manhattan, said about this morning’s incident.
New Yorkers interviewed in a video clip from The NewsRoom said that the blast reminded them that they are always vulnerable to attack.
CBS reports that a man in a gray hooded sweatshirt was seen bicycling away from the scene.
Investigators have not yet determined if the explosion was linked to two extremely similar events in the city.
In October, two small bombs exploded outside the Mexican Consulate, causing minor damage. No one was injured.
As with this morning’s attack, a witness reported seeing a man in a gray hooded sweatshirt on a bicycle leaving the area. Police could not confirm that he threw the grenades.
Two small bombs exploded outside the British Consulate in May 2005, shattering concrete and glass, but causing no injuries. The incident occurred the same day Britons re-elected British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
All three incidents involved crude, homemade bombs and occurred at around the same time in the morning.
"If it is something that's directed toward American troops, then it's something that's taken very seriously and is pretty unfortunate," Army Capt. Charlie Jaquillard, who is the commander of Army recruiting in Manhattan, said about this morning’s incident.
Headline Link: Explosion in Times Square
A small explosion at a military recruiting station in Times Square this morning shattered glass windows in the building. No one was inside the station and no injuries have been reported.
Source: CBS
The Pentagon is on alert following the blast. "We're treating it as if it were an incident of vandalism," Army spokesman Paul Boyce said at the Pentagon. White House spokesperson Dana Perino said that the federal government was not treating the explosion as a blast. The country’s some 1,650 military recruiting stations remain on alert.
Source: Reuters
Reactions: The police force and Mayor Bloomberg speak out
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly spoke at a news conference held at Times Square at 9:30 a.m. with Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Kelly said at a second news conference that the materials used in the blast “were not particularly powerful” and was “roughly similar” to those used in two sets of bombings of foreign consulates. Samples taken from this morning’s blast will be taken to the FBI’s crime lab in Quantico, Va. and compared to those from the consular bombings.
Source: The New York Times (subscription may be required)
New York City Mayor Bloomberg spoke at a news conference on the incident this morning. A video of the conference is available on local New York television station WCBS.
Source: WCBS
Background Links: Incidents at the Mexican and British consulates
When two crude bombs exploded outside the Mexican Consulate last October, authorities immediately drew comparisons to a similar attack at the British Consulate in 2005. Both cases are now being compared to today’s explosion in Times Square. Police considered various motives for the attack last year, which occurred Oct. 26 at about 3:50 a.m.
Source: New York Times (subscription may be required)
The 2005 explosion outside the British Consulate occurred on the same day Britons were voting in parliamentary elections that returned former Prime Minister Tony Blair to office. Two grenades exploded at about 3:35 a.m. on the morning of May 5. While the blast caused minor damage, including broken glass, there were no injuries.
Source: USA Today
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