Car Bomb Found and Defused in Times Square

[SirFozzie]

BBC News - Suspected car bomb found on New York's Times Square (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8656651.stm)

Wow. Looks like this was a pretty big attempt to blow up new york

[DaddyTorgo]

Nice. Right before I go down there in a couple weeks.

Jerry Brown, one of the tourists evacuated from the nearby Marriott Marquis hotel,

Not that we're ya know...staying there or anything.

[molson]

Nice. Right before I go down there in a couple weeks.



One of the greatest things about NYC though - everything was back to normal 30 seconds after they cleared the area.

Looks like a real hack job. I think they'll find who's responsible. Surveillance cameras cover just about every square inch of the island. And he probably assumed the car would blow up, so there will be some good info there. I'd be he's domestic. And a loser. Serious terrorists stay with the bomb, they don't run away.

[Mustang]

My co-worker took his wife to NY this weekend. He said he was staying at a Marriott in Times Square so... I'd assume it was this one.

[JPhillips]

One of the greatest things about NYC though - everything was back to normal 30 seconds after they cleared the area.

Looks like a real hack job. I think they'll find who's responsible. Surveillance cameras cover just about every square inch of the island. And he probably assumed the car would blow up, so there will be some good info there. I'd be he's domestic. And a loser. Serious terrorists stay with the bomb, they don't run away.

Yeah, I was very surprised when Bloomberg went into the "hate us for our freedoms" stuff. From the outside this doesn't look like an organized terror group. Maybe they found something in the vehicle they aren't releasing, but it does look like a lone wolf type right now.

[bulletsponge]

yea this sounds like some lone nut who isnt trained at anything. almost certain its a home grown nut who learned how to make the bomb on the internet

[JonInMiddleGA]

*Disclaimer* Posting this article does not necessarily reflect whether I personally find the claim to be credible.

My Way News - Pakistani Taliban claims NYC car bomb attempt (http://apnews.myway.com//article/20100502/D9FERTD00.html)

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the failed car bomb attack in Times Square in New York City.

In 1 minute video allegedly released by the Pakistani Taliban, the group says the attack is revenge for the death of its leader Baitullah Mehsud and the recent killings of the top leaders of al-Qaida in Iraq. Images of the slain militants are shown as an unidentified voice recites the message. English subtitles are at the bottom of the screen.

The video was uncovered Sunday by the U.S.-based SITE intelligence Group, which monitors militant websites.

[MJ4H]

the attack is revenge for the death of its leader Baitullah Mehsud and the recent killings of the top leaders of al-Qaida in Iraq

fail

[JonInMiddleGA]

fail

Let's be clear, blame the wire service for that line, not me ;)

[MJ4H]

Let's be clear, blame the wire service for that line, not me ;)

:)

[RedKingGold]

This Mets-Phillies rivalry has gone WAY to far.

I'm sure Lathum will be in here shortly blaming this on those ass-hole Philadelphia sports fans.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Man you really have a hard-on for him, huh?

[panerd]

Panerd hears the drums begin beating for a third front in the middle East war...

[M GO BLUE!!!]

When i left work on 48th & 6th @ 12:30a everything was fairly normal other than the police had the street blocked off.

Thank God this piss-poor attempt didn't go off. I don't see why anybody would claim credit for it though...

[Pumpy Tudors]

This Mets-Phillies rivalry has gone WAY to far.

I'm sure Lathum will be in here shortly blaming this on those ass-hole Philadelphia sports fans.
Man you really have a hard-on for him, huh?
In all fairness, this was one of his best efforts.

[RainMaker]

Reports are that the video shows a white male in his 40's. So probably domestic although it could be any number of reasons.

[RainMaker]

Now there is a report that the fertilizer used wasn't even the kind that can explode. If that's true, I'm calling this a lone wolf who is really dumb.

[Chief Rum]

Reports are that the video shows a white male in his 40's. So probably domestic although it could be any number of reasons.

This doesn't surprise me at all. My first thought after hearing about this was to morbidly think what kind of heck the immigration thread would turn into if this was some Middle East terrorist guy who came in over the border.

But then I thought about all the logistics, the SUV, the explosive stuff, etc., I just felt it had to be an "inside" job. Which, to me, meant some kind of anti-government white supremacist group or some crap like that.

And now that I think of it, wasn't the Oklahoma City bombing done via truck bomb?

[DaddyTorgo]

yep.

speaking of which - i just watched the msnbc produced "The McVeigh Tapes" the other day. That was some intense shit...recommend it to anyone. It uses the audiotapes (45hrs worth) that he did with the guy who wrote the authorized biography of him.

[Young Drachma]

Times Square Vendors Who Alerted Police Called Heroes - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/nyregion/03vendor.html)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Times Square Vendors Who Alerted Police Called Heroes - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/nyregion/03vendor.html)

Fantastic...............

“It could have been a lot worse,” Mr. Jackson told a bank of television cameras and then turned to say to a customer, “That’s $8 on the watches.”

[panerd]

This doesn't surprise me at all. My first thought after hearing about this was to morbidly think what kind of heck the immigration thread would turn into if this was some Middle East terrorist guy who came in over the border.

But then I thought about all the logistics, the SUV, the explosive stuff, etc., I just felt it had to be an "inside" job. Which, to me, meant some kind of anti-government white supremacist group or some crap like that.

And now that I think of it, wasn't the Oklahoma City bombing done via truck bomb?

I am not an FBI agent, I just play one of the internet, but here would be my thoughts on both Islamic terrorism and white supremacists. It seems like an Islamic terrorist would have probably stuck with the car and blown themselves up with it. (Obviously this is not always the case but it seems to be quite often) The anti-government/Tim McVeigh anger was largely directed at the government and the target would have been something federal. (Don't think this is the case in that part of Times Square) Seems more likely a group like that would go after a federal building or at least hit an area with a high concentration of their "enemies". (high black area, synagogue, immigration rally) From my experience seems like Times Square is usually mostly white. Don't get me wrong I defend neither group but it seems like neither of these would make any sense at all. Probably some lone nut job with some screwed up agenda about New York City or mass media or something than any organized/semi-organized terror group.

[Dutch]

Times Square Vendors Who Alerted Police Called Heroes - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/nyregion/03vendor.html)

I would agree.

[gstelmack]

I am not an FBI agent, I just play one of the internet, but here would be my thoughts on both Islamic terrorism and white supremacists. It seems like an Islamic terrorist would have probably stuck with the car and blown themselves up with it. (Obviously this is not always the case but it seems to be quite often) The anti-government/Tim McVeigh anger was largely directed at the government and the target would have been something federal. (Don't think this is the case in that part of Times Square) Seems more likely a group like that would go after a federal building or at least hit an area with a high concentration of their "enemies". (high black area, synagogue, immigration rally) From my experience seems like Times Square is usually mostly white. Don't get me wrong I defend neither group but it seems like neither of these would make any sense at all. Probably some lone nut job with some screwed up agenda about New York City or mass media or something than any organized/semi-organized terror group.

Eric Robert Rudolph - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Robert_Rudolph)

[molson]

Maybe this guy will post an revolutionary online manifesto that everyone can admire.

[RedKingGold]

Man you really have a hard-on for him, huh?

Have you ever had a soft-on? That's no fun.

[DanGarion]

Probably some right wing extremist bigot idiot.

[Dutch]

Probably some right wing extremist bigot idiot.

But failing that, some left wing extremist bigot idiot.

[DanGarion]

But failing that, some left wing extremist bigot idiot.

Thank god there are no moderate middle of the road extremists, or I might be considered a suspect...

[GrantDawg]

Thank god there are no moderate middle of the road extremists, or I might be considered a suspect...


Yeah, how exactly does that one go? "I'm going to blow up this bomb if everyone doesn't just play nice."

[RainMaker]

Fox News reporting that they are searching for a guy who bought the car off Craigslist and spent time in Pakistan for a few months. I don't see anyone else reporting that though right now, so it could just be Fox News slobbering at the mouth to somehow connect this to the Middle East.

I think it's tough to speculate on who or what this was about. I don't think it was sophisticated at all and I'd be surprised if any major terrorist movement was involved. Seems more like one guy who was really pissed about something and decided he was going to cause some damage.

[Khorium]

BBC News - Suspected car bomb found on New York's Times Square (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8656651.stm)

Wow. Looks like this was a pretty big attempt to blow up new york

9/11 was a pretty big attempt to blow up New York. From what I've read so far, this "bomb" might not have been able to do much more damage than if the "terrorist" had simply detonated the vehicle's gas tank.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Fox News reporting that they are searching for a guy who bought the car off Craigslist and spent time in Pakistan for a few months. I don't see anyone else reporting that though right now, so it could just be Fox News slobbering at the mouth to somehow connect this to the Middle East.

Or maybe they just had better sources willing to talk to them sooner.

NEW YORK (AP) - The search to find out who planted a car bomb that fizzled out in crowded Times Square took an international turn Monday as investigators said they were seeking a potential suspect who had recently traveled to Pakistan and had used cash to buy the SUV from a Connecticut man.

Two law enforcement officials say that authorities have identified the buyer of the SUV used in the botched bombing. One of the officials tells The Associated Press that the potential suspect is a man of Pakistani descent who recently traveled to Pakistan.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the case is at a sensitive stage.

[lungs]

Whoever came up with this plan was an absolute dope.

No terrorist organization worth worrying about would come up with a bomb design like this.

The poor design of the bomb told me right away that it wasn't some right wing kook, because they would build the damn thing right. Had to be left-wing or foreign.

[DaddyTorgo]

Whoever came up with this plan was an absolute dope.

No terrorist organization worth worrying about would come up with a bomb design like this.

The poor design of the bomb told me right away that it wasn't some right wing kook, because they would build the damn thing right. Had to be left-wing or foreign.

*shaking my head*

[Celeval]

CNN is reporting an arrest.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sources: Arrest made in Times Square car bomb plot - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/04/new.york.car.bomb/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1)
New York (CNN) -- A U.S. citizen has been arrested in Times Square bombing probe, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced early Tuesday.

Faisal Shahzad was arrested at JFK airport in New York as he prepared to board a flight to Dubain, Holder said.

The officials said the suspect said is the person who bought a Nissan Pathfinder used in the bombing attempt. Earlier, a law enforcement official said the buyer is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Pakistan, and that investigators are looking at more than one person in connection with the unsuccessful bombing.

The report came as CNN learned that the Joint Terrorism Task Force investigating the bombing attempt is considering the possibility that the attempt involved more than just a "lone wolf." The identity of the person under scrutiny was not known, however.

[stevew]

Whoever came up with this plan was an absolute dope.

No terrorist organization worth worrying about would come up with a bomb design like this.

The poor design of the bomb told me right away that it wasn't some right wing kook, because they would build the damn thing right. Had to be left-wing or foreign.

Agreed.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

*shaking my head*

What exactly were you shaking your head about? Turns out that Lungs was spot-on in his assessment. I don't think it's ground-breaking to note that a right-wing idiot usually knows how to make a really good explosive device.

[lungs]

I mean, come on, they didn't even process the fertilizer to make it explosive. That's Timothy McVeigh-Terry Nichols 101 right there.

Now that we know he is Pakistani I'm guessing we'll soon find out he was nothing more than an al-Qaeda wannabe. Dangerous thoughts, but too dumb to execute it properly.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I mean, come on, they didn't even process the fertilizer to make it explosive. That's Timothy McVeigh-Terry Nichols 101 right there.

Now that we know he is Pakistani I'm guessing we'll soon find out he was nothing more than an al-Qaeda wannabe. Dangerous thoughts, but too dumb to execute it properly.

Well, he was over in Pakistan for 5 months, so he was obviously busy doing something. I'm guessing he skipped class on the fertilizer training day. Poor decision by him.

[lungs]

Well, he was over in Pakistan for 5 months, so he was obviously busy doing something. I'm guessing he skipped class on the fertilizer training day. Poor decision by him.

I think I read somewhere in one of the arrest articles where an official said 'Think small-scale' in terms on the group he was working with.

[DaddyTorgo]

What exactly were you shaking your head about? Turns out that Lungs was spot-on in his assessment. I don't think it's ground-breaking to note that a right-wing idiot usually knows how to make a really good explosive device.

I think it's folly to think that a left-wing kook wouldn't know how to make a good explosive.

[panerd]

Partisan arguing about who makes a better bomb. Really?

[DaddyTorgo]

I found lungs' initial comment to be partisan as well, and another example of a backhanded way of putting down those on the left, by implying they were not intelligent enough to build a competent explosive device.

[panerd]

I found lungs' initial comment to be partisan as well, and another example of a backhanded way of putting down those on the left, by implying they were not intelligent enough to build a competent explosive device.

I found his initial comment to be moronic but wouldn't think to try and argue that "my side" can make just a good a bomb. There are some things that one side should be glad they don't have.

[Khorium]

Retard taliban wannabe from Pakistan. End of story. Can we stop the political debate and maybe focus the discussion on how an obvious moron who can't Google "fertilizer bomb" still managed to take a trip to terrorist camp, return to this country, park a (defective) car bomb in Times Square, then nearly make a clean getaway?

What if he'd been an intelligent terrorist?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I think I read somewhere in one of the arrest articles where an official said 'Think small-scale' in terms on the group he was working with.

Well, I'm not sure we'd care how small scale he was if we were counting bodies this week. :)

I found lungs' initial comment to be partisan as well, and another example of a backhanded way of putting down those on the left, by implying they were not intelligent enough to build a competent explosive device.

Doesn't lungs usually lean to the left? Have I been missing something?

[Dutch]

I found lungs' initial comment to be partisan as well, and another example of a backhanded way of putting down those on the left, by implying they were not intelligent enough to build a competent explosive device.

Well, you're pretty good at making molotov-cocktails, so I see your frustrations.

[Dutch]

Doesn't lungs usually lean to the left? Have I been missing something?

Lungs isn't extreme enough. He swayed from the lockstep and has now been banished from the left forever. The University of Berkeley has ordered the word "racist" be branded to lungs forehead immediately upon apprehension.

[DaddyTorgo]

I'm not sure which way lungs' leans. I don't really keep track of everyone. I just thought the initial comment was not accurate historically speaking.

Look at the Unibomber. Or the Weather Underground. Or any of a number of leftist terrorist organizations in other countries (yes they fall under "foreigners").

That being said, no doubt it was true "here and now" and I didn't intend for this to come out after him like this. After all, his dairy farm is my refuge when society falls apart.

[DaddyTorgo]

Lungs isn't extreme enough. He swayed from the lockstep and has now been banished from the left forever. The University of Berkeley has ordered the word "racist" be branded to lungs forehead immediately upon apprehension.
:p

[lordscarlet]

I don't really see how you can prevent a car bomb in Times Square. The only way to prevent one on public streets is to catch the perpetrator while they are planning the attack.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

That being said, no doubt it was true "here and now" and I didn't intend for this to come out after him like this. After all, his dairy farm is my refuge when society falls apart.

Don't kid yourself. If society falls apart, you and lungs will be living here in the midwest reducing my winery stock one bottle at a time. Milk will be the last thing on your mind.

[molson]

I would argue that the Democratic party has produced plenty of bombs. Anyone around for the 2004 presidential campaign knows that the Democrats can bomb as well as anyone.

[Khorium]

I would argue that the Democratic party has produced plenty of bombs. Anyone around for the 2004 presidential campaign knows that the Democrats can bomb as well as anyone.

That wasn't even their finest hour.

http://images.chron.com/blogs/txpotomac/dukakis%20tank.jpg

[lungs]

I found lungs' initial comment to be partisan as well, and another example of a backhanded way of putting down those on the left, by implying they were not intelligent enough to build a competent explosive device.

Well for crying out loud, I can't even put down my own side these days.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

This may be the dumbest political argument I've seen on this site, and that's saying something.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

This may be the dumbest political argument I've seen on this site, and that's saying something.

:lol:

[Dutch]

This may be the dumbest political argument I've seen on this site, and that's saying something.

Woah, woah, my CHECK FORUM light just turned on.

**taps screen**

Nope, still there.

I'll ping forum mod's immediately and see if we can't get the software updated immediately, I'll bet it's a bug in the FORUM PARTISAN LOGIC code.

[DaddyTorgo]

Don't kid yourself. If society falls apart, you and lungs will be living here in the midwest reducing my winery stock one bottle at a time. Milk will be the last thing on your mind.

Really? I'm invited? Yayy!!

I still want to try some of that wine once you get it up and going!

[DaddyTorgo]

I would argue that the Democratic party has produced plenty of bombs. Anyone around for the 2004 presidential campaign knows that the Democrats can bomb as well as anyone.

well played sir

[DaddyTorgo]

Well for crying out loud, I can't even put down my own side these days.

Awww - I'm sorry if it came off kinda snipey lungs. I think I was a little cranky this morning. :D

[JonInMiddleGA]

I'll bet it's a bug in the FORUM PARTISAN LOGIC code.


That can't be the problem. We both know there's no logic code that runs on the left.

:D

[SirFozzie]

Please, we all know the right is running 8-bit code in a 64-bit generation... "Update! Why should we! 640K was good enough for us, it should be good enough for you too! All you fancy-pants foreign coders don't know the meaning of thrift or hard work!"

edit: :D :D

[larrymcg421]

So they've caught the guy, a Pakistani born American citizen. The amusing thing is Glenn Beck and John McCain are arguing about Miranda rights for the guy. Even more amusing is that Beck is making the sensible argument, saying that he's an American citizen so of course he should have his rights read. McCain apparently wants some new standard based on how much information you can get out of the guy.

[DaddyTorgo]

Glenn Beck is the voice of reason??

I never thought I'd see the day!!

[SirFozzie]

Wait.. this is just the introduction to the opposites, isn't it? (YCDTOTV reference ftw!)

[DanGarion]

No terrorist organization worth worrying about would come up with a bomb design like this.
.
I don't know about that, they are the ones that have designed the failed shoelace and underwear bombs....

[DanGarion]

I'm not sure which way lungs' leans. I don't really keep track of everyone. I just thought the initial comment was not accurate historically speaking.

Look at the Unibomber. Or the Weather Underground. Or any of a number of leftist terrorist organizations in other countries (yes they fall under "foreigners").

That being said, no doubt it was true "here and now" and I didn't intend for this to come out after him like this. After all, his dairy farm is my refuge when society falls apart.

I honestly thought Lungs was just being sarcastic...

[Honolulu_Blue]

So, I guess they caught this guy just as he was about to leave the U.S. Could you imagine how he must have felt? I am sure he was sweating bullets until he finally got on the plane and the doors closed. He must have been feeling pretty good as the plane backed away from the gate, only then to be caught. Quite a roller-coaster ride for this asshole.

[lungs]

Awww - I'm sorry if it came off kinda snipey lungs. I think I was a little cranky this morning. :D

You're from Massachusetts, I'd think something was wrong if you weren't snipey.

And allow me to clarify, the only thing I wasn't sarcastic about was that whoever built this bomb was an absolute dope that didn't know what they were doing.

[lungs]

I don't know about that, they are the ones that have designed the failed shoelace and underwear bombs....

That's true. Which begs the question... If this is the best they can come up with, maybe we are doing something right?

Of course that sort of complacent attitude would just lead to another 9/11.

[Mustang]

I don't know about that, they are the ones that have designed the failed shoelace and underwear bombs....

There must be an ACME Terrorist catalog out there. Probably some guy in Nevada right now with a huge horseshoe magnet trying to pull planes out of the sky with it.

[Logan]

Some concern going on right now about a "suspicious" car found on 14th St and Irving Place. The area has been evacuated and NYPD/FDNY are working the scene.