The New York Police department reports that numerous would have died had the Times Square bomb gone off rather than failing to explode. Law enforcement is looking for a person of interest that was captures on a video although the owner of the SUV that was packed with explosives has already been tracked down. As the investigation and manhunt resulting from the Times Square bomb 2010 continues, a group calling itself the “Pakistani Taliban” chimed in to take credit for the botched bombing.
Times Square bomb/South Park Muhammad
The Pathfinder holding the Times Square bomb — a vehicle that was not bought with an auto loan but was stolen — was parked near the headquarters of Viacom, the parent business of Comedy Central. Comedy Central censored an episode of South Park recently that has the Prophet Muhammad on there. The South Park Muhammad episode, and the fact the Times Square bomb was planted near Viacom, is fueling suspicions the attack was related to the controversy surrounding the Comedy Central cartoon program.
The Times Square bomb scare
The Times Square bomb was brought there in a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder that was captured on surveillance camera Saturday. A street vendor noticed smoke coming from the automobile on Saturday night and alerted the police. The Bomb led to thousands of individuals being evacuated from Times Square. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly informed CNN that if the bomb had 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 propane found is the propane you would often used for barbecue grills. The firecrackers were consumer-grade M-88s, legal in some states.
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 “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, known as the master mentor of Taliban suicide bombers, accepted responsibility for the New York bomb plot “with excellent pride and utmost bravery.” The Pakistani Taliban's statement isn't supported by any evidence according to Federal and local officials.
Iraq and New York bomb plot
Investigators were looking at parallels between the New York bombing and other attacks from summer of 2007, according to Fox News. The attacks were in London in a neighborhood and in nightclubs, and in an airport in Glasgow, Scotland. Cars were involved in both attacks which contained propane and gas and also failed to explode. It is believed by authorities that those attacks had their roots in Iraq.
Blunder with the Times Square bomb
The Pathfinder that had the bomb in it was taken to a forensics lab in Jamaica, Queens where it was searched for DNA, hairs, fingerprints, and fibers. No fingerprints were found as of Sunday night, officials told the New York Times. The owner of the vehicle was found depending on the vehicle identification number. Even though the thieves stripped the VIN number from the dashboard, they didn't realize it would be stamped other places in the car.
Is he the Times Square bomber?
Hundreds of hours of surveillance footage is being studied by the FBI from more than 80 cameras which consist of images of a man leaving the vicinity of the Pathfinder that was shot by a tourist. The person of interest in the video was seen taking off a shirt and walking away shortly before the car began to smolder.
Resources for the article
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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