A second bomb was uncovered by police four blocks away and defused safely, before undergoing analysis. Authorities have not yet determined who is behind the blast or a motive.
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In addition to the site of the explosion, something many are calling terrorism, CNN reports that investigators found a disturbing piece of evidence to indicate that the apparently deliberate NY bombing was meant to have been a much more widespread attack.
FBI investigators are still collecting evidence from the scene of a bombing Saturday in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.
“That’s what worries us: Was this some kind of test run, not just of the devices, but also of the surveillance in NY and the response?” the official said.
Surveillance video from the site of the blast on West 23rd Street shows the explosion and indicates to investigators that an object containing the explosive device was intentionally left next to a construction trash container.
A spokesman says the United Nations is assessing security in the wake of an explosion in New York’s Chelsea district as the organization prepares to host world leaders arriving for the General Assembly. The New Jersey race was cancelled and no one was injured.
IS has repeatedly called for attacks on countries in the US-led coalition bombing the extremist group in Syria and Iraq.
New York Police Department Chief of Special Operations Harry J. Wedin tweeted for people to avoid the area.
“For those trying to capitalize on the explosion: People aren’t freaking out in Chelsea”.
The eight wounded were transported to St. Cloud Hospital but none were believed to have life-threatening injuries, said Chris Nelson, a communications specialist for the medical facility.
Officer Bressack with the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group told Xinhua that he and his colleagues were called in for duty shortly after the blast occurred, and rushed all the way from Queensboro to the scene.
“After living in this city for six years, you don’t get scared by such things”, a female cashier in the store added.
What’s the latest on the investigation?
In the case of the NY bombing, investigators are hesitating to call the explosion a “terror attack”, but some politicians aren’t showing any such restraint.
The incident occurred just three days before the opening of 71st Session of the UN General Assembly in the UN Headquarters in NY.
But CNN national security analyst Juliette Kayyem said it’s too soon to label the blast a terror attack without knowing the motivations behind the explosion.
Officials solicited tips from the public, telling reporters at a news conference in the New York Police Department’s headquarters that they didn’t know who set off the bomb or why.
While government officials had initially been dismissive of a link between the New Jersey and NY attacks, evidence from the crime scenes seemed to lead them to change their thinking. “As we are more successful on the battlefields in the Middle East, our adversaries are looking for a target”, Safir said.
Threat of Islamist attacks alone has kept federal investigators busy – the FBI has said that it is mounting 900 investigations of suspected Islamist militants in all 50 states. Expect more details Sunday. That explosion caused no injuries.
Some social media users said the sound of the explosion was heard as far away as Hoboken, New Jersey, across the Hudson River.
“We smelled something, like an intense sulfur smell, and saw smoke coming out of this building”, said Chelsea resident Danilo Gabrielli. The bomb that exploded, at 23rd Street, was filled with small bearings or metal BBs. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the pressure cooker and the exploded device in Chelsea were similar, and other officials said both devices had cell phones as apparent timers.
Who’s responsible for the explosion?
Experts said de Blasio, a Democrat, might be refraining from calling the explosion terrorism until authorities know more about the attackers.
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No one was hurt, and de Blasio said there was no evidence of a connection between the two blasts. “There is no specific and credible threat against New York City at this point in time, from any terror organisation”, he added.
