The New York Police department reports that numerous would have died had the Times Square bomb gone off instead of failing to explode. The owner of the SUV that was packed with explosives was tracked down although police force has been looking for a person of interest that was captures on video. As the investigation resulting from the Times Square bomb 2010 continues, a group that calls itself the “Pakistani Taliban” chimed in to take credit for the botched bombing.
Times Square bomb/South Park Muhammad
The Pathfinder that was holding the Times Square bomb — a vehicle that was stolen, not bought with an auto loan — seemed to be parked near the headquarters of Viacom, the parent company of Comedy Central. Comedy Central censored recently an episode of South Park portraying the Prophet Muhammad. The South Park Muhammad episode, and the fact the Times Square bomb was planted near Viacom, is giving way for numerous suspicions the attack was related to the controversy surrounding the Comedy Central cartoon program.
Scare of Times Square bomb
In a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder that a surveillance camera captured on video Saturday, the Times Square bomb was transported in. Saturday night, a street vendor noticed smoke coming from the car and alerted police. Thousands of people were evacuated from Times Square due to the bomb. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told CNN that had the bomb exploded, it "would have caused casualties, a significant fireball”.
The New York bomb was made from gasoline, firecrackers, analog alarm clocks and propane canisters. Police said the canisters of propane were of the type commonly used for barbecue grills. Legal in some states were the firecrackers, consumer grade M-88.
Times Square bomb plot claimed by Taliban
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the Times Square bomb plot on an Islamist website, muslim.net. Reuters reports that the statement said before it was taken down, “The Pakistani Taliban announces its responsibility for the New York attack in revenge for the two leaders al-Baghdadi and al-Muhajir and Muslim martyrs.” The muslim.net statement also said that Qari Hussain Mehsud, who’s the master mentor of Taliban suicide bombers, accepted responsibility for the New York bomb plot “with good pride and utmost bravery.” There was no evidence, as outlined by Federal and local officials, to support the Pakistani Taliban's statement.
New York bomb plot and Iraq
Fox News reports that investigators are looking at parallels between the New York bomb and other attacks from summer of 2007. The attacks were at an airport in Glasgow, Scotland, in a neighborhood of nightclubs in London, and a theater. Both attacks involved cars containing propane and gasoline that also failed to explode. Those attacks supposedly had roots in Iraq.
Blunder with the Times Square bomb
The Pathfinder that has the New York bomb was brought to forensic in Jamaica, Queens where investigators searched for DNA, hairs, fibers, and fingerprints. No fingerprints were found as of Sunday night, officials told the New York Times. The owner of the auto was found through identification numbers on the auto. Thieves had stripped the VIN number from the dashboard but they didn’t realize it was stamped in other places, like the engine block and axle.
Is this man the bomber?
Hundreds of hours of surveillance footage is being studied by the FBI from more than 80 cameras which contain images of a man leaving the vicinity of the Pathfinder that was shot by a tourist. The person of interest within the video was seen taking off a shirt and walking away shortly before the automobile started to smolder.
Resources
Comedy Central
http://www.comedycentral.com/
Reuters reports
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6412UP20100502
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/nyregion/04bomb.html?pagewanted=2&hp
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