Sunday, May 02, 2010

Police Discover Car Bomb in Times Square and Clear Area

Photobucket
The scene at Times Square on Saturday night. Photograph: The New York Times

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The police discovered a car bomb in a smoking Nissan Pathfinder in the heart of Times Square, prompting the evacuation of thousands of tourists and theatergoers from the area on a warm and busy Saturday evening.

There was no explosion.

“It appears to be a car bomb left in a Pathfinder between Seventh and Eighth” Avenues on 45th Street, said Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman.

The device, he said, contained “explosive elements” that included “propane tanks, some kind of powder, gasoline and a timing device.”

“This is very much an active investigation,” he said.

Mr. Browne, speaking shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday, said that no one was in custody. “We haven’t identified any kind of a motive,” he said. “It appears to be a car bomb, but we haven’t attached a motive to it."

Mr. Browne said the police were checking security cameras after reports that someone had fled from the car. >>> Al Baker and Karin Henry | Saturday, May 01, 2010