Trump Calls for Tightening Immigration Post Explosion in New York
Suspect believed to have acted alone.
advertisement
An explosion rocked New York’s Port Authority, one of the city’s busiest commuter hubs, on Monday morning.
Police confirmed one male suspect was injured and in custody after explosion, city's fire department confirmed that four other people were injured but are not in danger.
The incident occurred less than two months after an Uzbek immigrant killed eight people by speeding a rental truck down a New York City bike path, in an attack for which Islamic State claimed responsibility.
- The blast happened on 11 December, Monday in an underpass at the Port Authority terminal near Times Square
- US media quote officials as saying that the suspect had a pipe bomb strapped to his body when it detonated
- The NYC Mayor called it an ‘attempted terrorist attack’. Suspect is identified as 27-year-old Akayed Ullah
- No casualties were reported. The suspect and four other commuters inflicted non-life-threatning injuries
- White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident
New York Terror Suspect Came to US as Foreign Relative of Visa Lottery Immigrant
The Bangladeshi-origin man accused of triggering a blast in New York City, came to the US by using a family immigrant visa sponsored by his uncle who had migrated through the diversity lottery visa programme, a top Trump administration official said on Wednesday, 13 December.
In a given year, there are about half a million people in that category. In fiscal year '16, in that category, these are people who are the nuclear family members of US citizens, there were about 5,66,000 people that immigrated.
Third category, married sons and daughters of US citizens. Fourth category is brothers and sisters of US citizens and their children.
Bomb Suspect Akayed Ullah Charged, Bangladesh Questions Wife
US prosecutors on Tuesday brought federal charges against Akayed Ullah accusing him of using a weapon of mass destruction in Monday’s bombing of a Manhattan commuter hub, reports Reuters.
The federal charges, which are expected to take precedence over the state charges, carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. Ullah reported told police he was inspired by the Islamic State.
Investigators in Bangladesh were questioning Ullah’s wife, according to two officials who declined to be identified as they were not permitted to discuss the matter publicly.
World Trade Center to Be Lit in Red, White & Blue Following Attack
New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo has reportedly directed for the World Trade Center to be lit in the red, white and blue of the American flag, following the attack that took place in New York yesterday.
Govt Of Bangladesh Declares "Zero Tolerance" Against Terrorism
The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington released an official statement, where it said that the Government of Bangladesh has “zero tolerance” against terrorism and that it condemned the attack, terrorism and “violent extremism” across the world.
Subway and Bus Service Resume by Late Monday Afternoon
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority had closed the busy subway station beneath the terminal following the attack, causing a significant disruption in commuter’s travels, reports New York Times.
However, by late Monday afternoon, both Subway and bus services had resumed nearly to their full-services.
Suspect's Family "Heartbroken" by the Allegations
Ullah’s family is reportedly “heartbroken” by the allegations levelled against him, and that they have always been “committed to the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers”, reports ABC News.
In a statement provided by the Council on American-Islamic Relations-New York, they however also said that they were “outraged” in the manner their family member was treated by the US officials.
Suspect a 'Lone Wolf', Says NY State Governor
New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo on CNN called the suspect a ‘lone wolf’ similar to the Uzbek immigrant who had run over people on a bicycle path in October.
He added that both Ullah and the Uzbek immigrant had each acted alone, and had been “influenced by violent Islamist extremists”.
America Needs a Merit-Based Immigration System: US Attorney General
The US Attorney General, Jeff Sessions said in a statement that this kind of an attack just proves that the United States needed to make a shift to a merit-based immigration system, which Donald Trump has been asking the Congress to look into for some time now.
Suspect Pledges Allegiance to ISIS
The main suspect, Akayed Ullah has pledged allegiance to ISIS, reports Reuters. According to several media reports, US officials said that Ullah’s motive behind the terror attack was in response to the recent Israeli actions in Gaza.
According to the New York Times, Ullah decided upon the subway as the location of the attack, because it is filled with Christmas posters, and it reminded him of the strikes in Europe against Christmas markets. He set off his bomb in retaliation to the multiple US airstrikes conducted on ISIS targets in Syria and elsewhere, the report adds.
Despite his pledge, officials tell Reuters, they have not yet managed to trace a known linkage between him and the terrorist outfit.
Suspect Identified, Learned to Build a Bomb on the Internet
The main suspect, who has been identified by Reuters as 27-year old Akayed Ullah was a former limousine driver and arrived in the United States seven years ago on with a F-43 family immigrant visa. Officials told Reuters that he had learned to build a bomb on the internet, in his Brooklyn apartment.
Neighbours have described him as quiet and observant, with one telling Reuters that she never saw any evidence of ‘extremism’ emerge from his house.
Ullah, who hails from south-eastern Bangladesh also held no criminal records back in his country.
Strongest Penalty Allowed by Law Should Be Directed to Terrorists: Trump
Speaking about the attack, Donald Trump says that the strongest penalties allowed by law, even the death penalty in “appropriate cases” should be directed towards those engaged in terror activities.
Must Fix Lax Immigration: Trump
Donald Trump said that a bomb attack by a 27-year-old from Bangladesh on New York's subway system underscored the "urgent need" for Congress to enact immigration reform.
This Was an Attempted Terrorist Attack: NYC Mayor
The New York City Mayor Bill de Blassio called the Port Authority explosion an ‘attempted terrorist attack’. He added “No such additional known instance, activities at this time. All we know is of one individual.”
NYPD identifies the suspect as 27-year-old Akayed Ullah of Bangladeshi descent with a last known address in Brooklyn.
Suspect “was wearing an improvised low-tech explosive device attached to his body. He intentionally detonated that device,” NYPD commissioner says.
Former NYT Police Commissioner Bill Bratton tells MSNBC that the suspect was doing it “in the name of ISIS.” New York Times correspondent Rukmini Callimachi reported that pro-ISIS channels are celebrating him as an istishadi attacker.
A CCTV footage of the blast also surfaced.
Four Non-Life-Threatning Injuries Reported: New York Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department said "A total of 4 injuries reported at the scene of an explosion at Port Authority."
“There was a stampede up the stairs to get out,” Diego Fernandez, one of the commuters at Port Authority told Reuters. “Everybody was scared and running and shouting.”
Official: Man Had Explosive Device Strapped on Before Blast
A law enforcement official told the Associated Press that a man had a pipe bomb strapped to him when it went off on a New York City subway platform.
The person was arrested and has non-life-threatening injuries.
The explosion happened around 7:30 am local time on Monday.
One Male Suspect injured And in Custody: NYPD
New York police said one male suspect injured and in custody after explosion in Manhattan, no other person currently reported hurt.
NYPD put out an advisory telling commuters to avoid the 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, adding that the subway are bypasssing Port Authority and Times Square stations.
Whote House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders says that US President Donald Trump has been briefed about the NYC incident.
One Suspect in Custody: Reports
Possible pipe bomb detonated in passageway below ground at Port Authority in New York, police sources told ABC News.
The news channel said that one person is in custody.
The incident occurred less than two months after an Uzbek immigrant killed eight people by speeding a rental truck down a New York City bike path, in an attack for which Islamic State claimed responsibility.
In September 2016, a man injured more than two dozen people when he set off a homemade bomb in New York’s Chelsea district.
New York Police Responding to Explosion in Midtown Manhattan
The New York Police Department on Monday, 12 December put out an advisory saying they are responding to reports of an ‘explosion of unknown origin’ in midtown Manhattan.
The NYPD, on Twitter, said that the 42nd Street and 8th Avenue are being evacuated.
The incident reportedly happened at the Port Authority Bus Terminal near the Times Square.
ABC News quotes police sources as saying that a possible pipe bomb was detonated in a passageway below ground at the terminal.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)