Another Domestic Terrorist Whackjob…

Interesting the limited information about the attempted Times Square bombing by car bomb. The description provided by police so far on the makeup of the bomb indicates it was decidedly amateurish, which would seem to let the air out of claims by the Pakastani Taliban that they did it. The methodology and tools used would also seem to let any of the Domestic Militia types off the hook. Indeed, the bomber appears to have left so many potential clues – that unless this was a massive act of subterfuge, and not a real attempt at bombing…

The bomber would have to be a nutcase, or a teen without any real skills – or association with people with skills such as ex-Military, Militias, or a hate group. Since the Oklahoma City bombing, gathering materials such as Ammonium Nitrate and powdered aluminum without a documented Agricultural or industrial use is a way to earn a quick visit from the FBI and local Law Enforcement – which could possibly explain the choice of materials. But that makes little sense, since Police now say the would-be bomber tried to use 4 bags of regular fertilizer – possibly not knowing that it isn’t explosive.

So the question is – was this a real bombing, or was the objective to terrorize by threat?

Picture of Person of Interest in Upper Right

Police Seek Man Taped Near Times Sq. Bomb Scene

Law enforcement officials offered a more detailed description of the makeup of the failed car bomb found in Times Square on Saturday night, and said they were reviewing surveillance footage that showed a white man who appeared to be in his 40s walking away from the area as he looked over his shoulder and removed a layer of clothing.

Raymond W. Kelly, the New York City police commissioner, said on Sunday that the materials found in the Nissan Pathfinder — gasoline, propane, firecrackers and simple alarm clocks — also included eight bags of a granular substance, later determined to be nonexplosive grade of fertilizer, inside a 55-inch-tall metal gun locker.

The bomb, Mr. Kelly said, “would have caused casualties, a significant fireball.”

Had it exploded, said Paul J. Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman, “It would have been, in all likelihood, a good possibility of people being killed, windows shattered, but not resulting in a building collapse.”

While the authorities said they were treating the failed bombing — described as a “one-off” by Janet Napolitano, the homeland security secretary — as a potential terrorist attack, they said there was no evidence of a continued threat to the city.

Additional patrols will be placed in Midtown, Mr. Kelly said, but no significant increase in the city’s police presence was planned.

F.B.I. agents and detectives had identified and were seeking to interview the owner of the Pathfinder, which was traced to Connecticut. The owner’s name was not made public.

No motive had been determined in the attempted bombing, and federal and local officials said there was no evidence to support a claim of responsibility issued Sunday by a Pakistani Taliban group that has a reputation for making far-fetched attempts to take credit for attacks.

The police and F.B.I. officials are also investigating a separate tip received by a news organization, but Mr. Kelly said it had not turned up any suspects.

Investigators were reviewing surveillance footage that showed an unidentified man walking away from West 45th Street, where the Nissan Pathfinder had been parked. The police said the man was a “person of interest.” The man was seen in Shubert Alley, which runs between 44th and 45th Streets, looking furtively over his shoulder and removing a dark shirt, revealing a red one underneath, officials said. The man then stuffed the dark shirt into a bag, officials said.

Asked if he considered the failed bombing the work of terrorists, Mr. Kelly said: “A terrorist act doesn’t necessarily have to be conducted by an organization. An individual can do it on their own.”