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March 06, 2008
Explosive Device Thrown at Military Recruitment Office in Times Square, Manhattan
The New York Police bomb squad investigates an explosion, outside the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center in New York's Times Square March 6, 2008. A small explosion caused minor damage to a U.S. military recruiting center in New York's Times Square area in the early hours of Thursday but there were no injuries, police said. The U.S. Homeland Security Department said it was investigating whether there was a terrorism link to the explosion.
REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Bicyclist sought in Times Square bombing
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Authorities are searching for a man on a bicycle as a possible suspect in the Thursday bombing at a military recruiting station in Times Square, investigators said.
The blast, around 3:45 a.m., caused no injuries, officials said.
A witness and an officer at a police substation just steps away from the recruiting office saw a man riding a bicycle, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said at a news conference.
They did not see the man's face, but he was wearing a backpack, he said.
The bomb consisted of some kind of "low order explosive" contained in a military-style ammunition box, Kelly said.
"This was not a particularly sophisticated device," he said.
No one saw the device being placed, and no one has taken responsibility for the attack, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
"Whoever the coward was that committed this disgraceful act on our city will be found and prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Bloomberg said.
Authorities were reviewing tapes from security cameras, but the process "will take many hours," the mayor said.
The recruiting office, one of the nation's busiest, has been the site of periodic anti-war protests, The Associated Press reported.
"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, commander of Army recruiting in Manhattan, told AP.
"The fact that this appears deliberately directed at the recruiting station insults every one of our brave men and women in uniform stationed around the world fighting to defend our freedoms and the things we hold so dear," Bloomberg said.
After the incident, the Army sent an alert to the 1,650 Army recruiting stations across the country, said Douglas Smith of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
The blast is similar to two other incidents in New York, one in October and one in May 2005.
Both times an explosive device was detonated around 3 a.m.
In the October incident, a bomb was detonated near the Mexican consulate, shattering windows. At that time the authorities said the explosive device was similar to the ones used in a May 2005 blast at the British consulate.
In both cases, authorities were looking for a person spotted riding a bicycle in the area.
Police stopped several bicyclists for questioning Thursday morning near Times Square, but no one was detained, WABC-TV reported.
The recruiting office, whose neon lights help it blend in with the bright atmosphere of Times Square, sits on a triangular traffic island across the street from the Hard Rock Caf.
Two witnesses, a man and a woman, told a local TV station they heard a "huge bang" from their hotel rooms, but there were no police or fire reports of serious damage or injuries.
"I was on the 44th floor and I heard it. I could feel it from up there," a woman told WABC-TV.
The office's front door and window were shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. A large television screen above the door was working intermittently.
Investigators from the New York police and fire departments as well as the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sifted through the shattered glass by hand, placing small pieces of material into evidence bags.
The evidence was sent to the FBI's crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, Kelly said.
Police and fire squads initially cordoned off part of an area around Times Square. Later, vehicular and foot traffic resumed in the area, but the traffic island was closed to pedestrians.
Before the mayor's news conference, several people in military uniforms walked unimpeded through the scorched door. Recruiters will work from an office in Union Square until repairs are made, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told AP.
Subway service to Times Square was briefly halted but resumed in time for the morning rush hour.
"New York City is back and open for business," the mayor said. To prove his point, Bloomberg walked across the busy street after the news conference and bought a cup of coffee at a cafe.
Wild Thing's comment........
Found this too.... ABC news
For a half century, the station was the armed forces’ busiest recruiting center. It has set national records for enlistment, averaging about 10,000 volunteers a year.
And this is in from the NY GOE website:
"From the photographs and video it is obvious that this was not the work of kids playing with firecrackers. The safety glass windows are shattered. The steel door is sprung from its hinges. The large video screen above the entrance is damaged. Witnesses on the 21st floor report feeling the building shake at the Marriott Hotel two blocks away. "
Posted by Wild Thing at March 6, 2008 01:44 PM
Comments
Not surprising considering the anti-war, anti-America, anti-military sentiment expressed by people like Nancy Pelosi, Jack Murtha, Harry Reid, Dick Durban and all the other left wing Democrats and liberals supported and encouraged by the mainstream media. Bombing a recruiting station is only the next step after the harassment of the recruiting station in Berkeley, California.
Posted by: Les at March 6, 2008 03:16 PM
Les, yes like you said this would be considered step two. And they haven't stopped protesting in Berkley either. I can't stand these people.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 6, 2008 06:33 PM
Another peaceful protest in NYC? Wasn't that also a peaceful protest by McVeigh in OK City? Maybe the left will be like these ragheads in Gaza, rejoicing and shooting in the air over the death of innocents in Israel. Then the people that Les partially listed above wonder why they all get labeled as radical Communists. I wonder if Pinko Bloomberg and the two nitwit Senators from New York are proud of this act of domestic terrorism.
Posted by: Jack at March 6, 2008 07:48 PM
There is no doubt a lot of information we dont have, but with what we do, three scenarios are possible:
1. Timing Project - to see the response time for all involved in order to take down the more perfect machine. Which could be either a domestic or global issue.
2. Deranged Political Activist - no agenda, but has the means to be successful, however, these are always caught with time.
3. Political Games - Republicans building courage among their base silently as democratic war wages, or democrats showing that they are the true power with whom to negotiate.
Posted by: Tre at March 6, 2008 10:56 PM
The press is making way too much out of this.
The publicity is just what a terrorist wants.
Do not give it to them.
There were worse things going on in NYC that day.
It could also be a Republican tactic to scare the people into buying their war cause.
If so, I'm not buying.
George Vreeland Hill
Posted by: George Vreeland Hill at March 7, 2008 12:34 AM
The bike had these decals on it's fenders: CAL-BERKELEY UNIVERSITY #1 & MANHATTAN U LOVES AHMADINEJAD?
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at March 7, 2008 01:15 AM
Jack, yes, so much for peaceful protests, they are the low lifes of out civilation that do this and those that go along with them as well.
That was horrible was happened in Israel. They just won't stop no matter what with their desire to kill Jews.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 7, 2008 04:15 AM
Tre there is no doubt one only one thing, this is the work of an American hater, a military loather and a very sick person that has committed a terrible crime and should be punished to the max when they find the person or persons.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 7, 2008 04:17 AM
George Vreeland Hill , I lelt your idiot comment though because I want to tell you something.
You are obviously one of the anti-war crowd.
For this not to be important to you is all telling and for you to say the BS remark..."Republican tactic to scare the people into buying their war cause".....just shows how sick you really are.
You are a coward and a waste of good air. You are not why I live in the land of the free and the home of the Brave. You are just someone that uses their freedom that was bought at a price you could never pay. You have no clue what a hero is and the sacrifices our troops and veterans have made and made to keep you living in PEACE and freedom.
The person that did this or persons will be caught and will pay for their crime.
The action of trying to destroy public property and place the lives and safety of Americans in jeopardy just to make a political point must be answered with the firmest response from Patriotic Americans.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 7, 2008 04:23 AM
Darth, thanks so much, I wouldn't be one bit surprised. I blame those in Berekly for this as they condone this kind of thing with the things they have said and done.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 7, 2008 04:27 AM
New York liberals have already forgotten how NAZIISM exterminated 9 million subhumans from 1942-1945, and they have already forgotten where the World Trade Center north and south twin towers USED TO BE when 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists slaughtered 2,996 Americans and 120 foreigners in three hours and in three U.S. states on 9-11-01. ISLAMOFASCISM?!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at March 8, 2008 12:13 AM
Darth they do not care at all. The kind of caring they have lasts about a few seconds. I remember the day after 9-11 there were already people on the streets protesting the USA and how we supposedly had treated the Muslims in the world. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 8, 2008 12:54 AM
