New York explosion was act of terrorism, says Governor Cuomo

NEW YORK — A bomb that exploded in the bustling Chelsea district of Manhattan, injuring at least 29 people, was an act of terrorism, said Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday (Sept 18), as authorities raced to identify the perpetrators behind the blast.

“A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism,” he told reporters near the site of the explosion. “Whoever placed these bombs — we will find them and they will be brought to justice.”

The explosion, which comes one week after New York marked the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, was described by Mr Cuomo as “one of the nightmare scenarios.” 

“We really were very lucky that there were no fatalities,” he said, adding that those injured had been treated and released from hospital.

A few hours after the explosion, the authorities found and removed what they described as a second explosive device four blocks away, raising the possibility that two bombs had been planted in the heart of the city. Mr Cuomo said the devices appeared to be similar in design.

Mr Cuomo said while there appeared to be no link to any international terrorist groups for now, placing a bomb on a bustling city street is by its very nature a terrorist act.

“We will not allow these types of people and these types of threats to disrupt our life in New York. This is freedom. This is democracy, and we are not going to allow them to take that from us. They want to instil terror. They want to make you worry about going into New York. We’re not going to let them instil fear.”

He said some 1,000 extra security personnel are being deployed to NY transport hubs.

Hours earlier, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called the explosion — which occurred at about 8.30pm on Saturday on West 23rd Street — “an intentional act”, but said there was no connection to terrorism and no immediate claim of responsibility.

Police officers swarmed Chelsea’s streets after the blast, which reverberated across a city scarred by terrorism and vigilant about threats.

The explosion came two days before world leaders, led by President Barack Obama, were due to gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, a time when parts of Manhattan usually grind to a standstill under draconian security measures. 

“Whatever the cause,” said Mr de Blasio, “New Yorkers will not be intimidated.”

As the authorities tried to reassure the city’s 8.4 million residents, they described the second device as a pressure cooker with wires attached to it and connected to a mobile phone — resembling the one used in the deadly Boston Marathon bombings in 2013. CNN, citing law enforcement sources, reported that a piece of paper with writing on it was found nearby.

Police spokesman J Peter Donald tweeted early yesterday that the device was “safely removed by the NYPD for further analysis”. However, it was unclear whether the blast on West 23rd Street had been caused by the same type of explosive. Witnesses said the blast seemed to have taken place inside a pavement garbage bin. Images of a twisted garbage bin quickly proliferated on Twitter.

Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Sunday that no Singaporeans were injured or directly affected by the incident. It said the Singapore Consulate in New York is in contact with the local authorities.

“Singaporeans in New York City are advised to exercise vigilance, monitor the local news and heed the instructions of the local authorities. They are advised to stay in touch with their family and friends so that they know you are safe,” said the MFA. 

The blast shattered windows, damaged cars and sent crowds running from the scene at an hour when Chelsea was filled with residents and tourists.

“I heard a big boom,” said Mr Luke McConnell, who had been heading towards a restaurant on West 27th Street. “I felt it, like a concussive wave, heading towards me. Then there was a cloud of white smoke that came from the left side of 23rd Street, near Sixth. There was no fire, just smoke.”

It was a startling scene, full of dark possibilities, for a city that endured the attacks of Sept 11, 2001, but has so far been spared the kind of mayhem that has terrorised city after city around the world in the 15 years since.

The closest New York has come to an attack was in 2010, when the police found a crude car bomb of propane, petrol and fireworks inside an SUV in Times Square. Although the device had apparently started to detonate, there was no explosion.

In Washington, the White House issued a brief statement saying that Mr Obama had been briefed on the developing situation.

Both the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates broke from their campaign routines to address the issue.

Mr Donald Trump rushed to describe the explosion as a bomb well before authorities had made any determinations about what had happened and while the situation was still in flux. “I must tell you that just before I got off the plane, a bomb went off in New York and nobody knows exactly what’s going on,” he said. “But, boy, we are living in a time — we better get very tough, folks.”

Mrs Hillary Clinton was informed of the episode, said her campaign. She seemed to scold Mr Trump for his quick assessment. “I think it’s always wiser to wait until you have information before making conclusions,” she said.

Officials said the New York explosion was not connected to a blast that happened 11 hours before, when an improvised device exploded in a garbage can near the course of a charity race in New Jersey. It caused no injuries but forced officials to cancel the event. AGENCIES