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Car Bomb Found in Times Square
Aired May 02, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A high stakes investigation has started after a car bomb is found in New York's Times Square. Who wanted to attack the crossroads of the world and why?
President Obama arrives on the Gulf Coast for a first-hand look at desperate efforts to contain a massive oil spill.
And nonstop storms cause deadly floods in Tennessee and the rain is still coming down.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM on a very busy Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
All right. First to this car bomb in the Big Apple. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says his city has avoided what could have been a very deadly event. Police evacuated Times Square last night after discovering a car bomb in a Nissan Pathfinder abandoned with its engine still running and its emergency lights flashing.
New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is expected to speak with reporters in the next hour -- and, of course, we'll carry that live.
Meantime, authorities are treating the incident as a potential terrorist attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET NAPOLITANO, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: There's a lot of forensic information due in part to the placement of the vehicle, where it was. There's a lot of cameras, a lot of other things in that area that you don't have in some other places. So, the forensics are all being worked intensely and having being worked intensely overnight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Here's what we know right now: the New York bomb squad removed propane tanks, gasoline containers and consumer grade fireworks from the vehicle. They also removed a locked metal box that as of this morning still has not been opened, as far as we know. The license plate on the car came from a Connecticut junkyard. And there's been no claim of responsibility thus far.
CNN's Mary Snow is in Times Square.
So, Mary, what is being said this many hours now after the event? MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredericka, as you mentioned, we're anticipating some answers very shortly from the NYPDS and the FBI at this official briefing. But throughout the day, investigators have been looking for clues and combing over evidence. At one forensics lab, that SUV was taken to that lab and that is being looked at for all kinds of things, fingerprints as you might imagine. And at a separate lab, those devices are being combed over -- the propane tanks, gasoline containers, and as you mentioned, that locked metal box.
And one big question is going to be: have investigators been able to get into the box and see what exactly was inside it.
Another thing that is being looked at is surveillance tapes. And we already know from the police department that the vehicle in question was spotted on the surveillance tape just a few minutes before an eyewitness started seeing smoke coming out of the car. We've talked about why and who was behind this, and potential motives. And one thing that has come up throughout the day, and we within to stress that this is one of many things that are being looked at, we're told by law enforcement.
But Congressman Peter King, he's a ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee did say on CNN that one of the potential 100 things being looked at is to see if there's any potential link to Viacom. Viacom is two blocks south of where I'm standing, and that is where the car was found last night. And the reason that it's being looked at is because it is the owner of Comedy Central.
A few weeks ago, if you remember, there had been an episode that had to be censored because it depicted the Prophet Muhammad. There had been a lot of controversy about it.
So, a law enforcement source does confirm that that's potential link is being looked at. But earlier today, the mayor of New York said there had been no evidence of a direct link. But several things are being looked at.
And as can you see, Fredericka, as this investigation goes on. Times Square is open for business, and, you know, it looks like any ordinary Sunday in the spring, here in this crowded theater district, the matinee theater, going on as scheduled and a lot of people here, we've been talking to some of the tourists, some said they were unaware of what happened last night. Others became away, because they had to stay out of their hotel for several hours, but they won't be deterred from coming to Times Square. They said, unfortunately, it's become one of the stark realities of visiting any big city, most notably New York -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Indeed, it looks like people are going on about their business there per usual on a Sunday afternoon. But I wonder: Is there any marker, any indicator of the exact location where that car was once parked? Or is it something that nobody will simply know about as they walk by 45th Street?
SNOW: Yes, well, when they walk by 45th Street, they'll see a number of television cameras and satellite trucks. There are police cars there, but, you know, they're always police cars around Times Square. So, that wouldn't really signal anything all that unusual. But no, really, it looks like any ordinary Sunday day right where that car was found last night.
WHITFIELD: Al right. Mary Snow, thanks so much -- there in Times Square.
Meantime, police commissioner, Ray Kelly, is expected to have a press conference momentarily. We'll carry that as it happens.
And this is, however, what he said earlier, immediately following the discovery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE: NYPD bomb technicians have removed and dismantled three propane tanks, consumer grade fireworks, two five-gallon gasoline containers, filled, and two clocks, along with batteries in each of the clocks, electrical wire and other components stored in the rear of the vehicle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: That was Ray Kelly. He is to also have a press conference to update the public on where the investigation is thus far. When it happens, we'll take it.
Earlier today, New York Senator Chuck Schumer talked with CNN's Candy Crowley about where the investigation might be leading. This is what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: The odds are quite high that this was a lone wolf. Could it have been a lone wolf connected to some terrorist organization? Possibly. Probably not.
Could it have been a lone wolf who had that ideology and was doing it on his own? Possibly. Could it have been someone else who didn't have terrorist ideology at heart but might have been just mentally ill or whatever? That's possible as well.
But given the nature of the explosive and given the fact that there was no chatter on the lines, signs point -- and again it's preliminary -- that this was not part of any terrorist plot by al Qaeda or another known terrorist organization.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Senator Chuck Schumer earlier today with a conversation with Candy Crowley.
Meantime, let's go to CNN's Kate Bolduan about how the White House is reacting to this. We know that the president is already on the ground in Louisiana. President Obama wants to take a firsthand look at the oil spill. But we also understand he is likely to have a comment or two about this car bomb last night. What do you know?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that will be coming later this afternoon. Fredricka, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs speaking to reporters on the flight down to the Gulf Coast today, said that he was not going to be getting into assumptions -- as he put it -- about who might be involved and what their motives might be.
But you talked about this earlier, about Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. She went further saying that, right now, they don't have any evidence to suggest that this car bomb is part of a larger threat -- anything more than a one-off, as she put it.
But all of the officials that we're speaking to continue to stress that this is still early on in the investigation and they keep saying that over and over -- or saying preliminary findings, these are the types of things we deal with in the early hours of an ongoing investigation.
But we are told -- as you mentioned -- that the president -- well, that he's been updated throughout the day by his homeland security adviser, John Brennan, who is accompanying him on the trip to the Gulf. And we expect President Obama to address the Times Square incident in addition to talking about the oil spill, the damage, and the emergency response when he makes comments, statements to the cameras a little later this afternoon.
WHITFIELD: All right. And we'll take that live as it happens. Thanks so much, Kate Bolduan -- in Washington.
BOLDUAN: Of course.
WHITFIELD: So, as it relates to that car bomb in Times Square, police have turned their attention to a used auto parts company in Stratford, Connecticut. Why? Well, they believe the vehicle has some connection to that junkyard.
CNN's Drew Griffin is there. He's joining us by phone.
Give us an idea what kind of link police are looking into.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS (via telephone): It's about 50 miles outside of New York, Manhattan, Fred, and what they're telling us, what law enforcement sources are telling CNN, is that the license plates, not the vehicle, but the license plates that were on that SUV in Times Square came from this junkyard, really. It's called Kramer's Used Auto Parts, in an industrialized area of Stratford, Connecticut, where most of the cars have no license plates because they are either bound for the junkyard or bound to be exported overseas. The dealership specializes in shipping cars to South America, Africa, and Central America.
We have seen no evidence of any police activity at the scene. We have been told by other witnesses that the police did show up and were in and out very quickly. But, again, this is just the license plate, the Connecticut license plates that were found on that Nissan. Not exactly the vehicle itself.
WHITFIELD: OK. So, what do we know about the vehicle and where they believe the origin of that vehicle lies?
GRIFFIN: We do not know. There's speculation unconfirmed at this point it may have been stolen from another car lot in Bridgeport, Connecticut, which is neighboring Stratford. But I must tell you, I've come to that very car lot where it's rumored to be stolen from, and there's no activity there. I did talk to a police officer who said the feds are keeping this close to the vest, but, you know, we have not seen any activity there, and we have not been able to get in touch with either of these two businesses which are both closed on Sunday.
WHITFIELD: Got you. All right. That was going to be my next question to you.
All right. Drew Griffin, thanks so much -- coming to us from Stratford, Connecticut, as you continue to dig there and find out how this license plate ended up on this vehicle which ended up with a car bomb inside in New York's Times Square. Thanks so much, Drew.
We're going to have much more on this investigation and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly who's expected to take to the microphones momentarily somewhere in this hour. And we're also going to get back to the Gulf Coast and tell about you the oil spill investigation there. The president is on the ground in Louisiana. He'll be making his way to Venice, Louisiana, where he'll also hold a press conference to talk about both events, the car bomb as well as the oil spill.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. The other major story we're covering today, the massive oil spill from that damaged B.P. oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And today, the president has planned his first look at the spill.
Here's what we know right now: President Obama has arrived in Louisiana just a short time ago. A look now at Air Force One arriving in New Orleans. He is expected to meet with first responders and then tour the area.
There's also new concern about the impact of the vapors from the leaking oil and the fires burning to try to control the slick. The EPA has stepped up air quality monitoring.
And the oil slick itself appears to have tripled in size in just the last two days alone. The U.S. Coast Guard had estimated that some 1.6 million gallons have leaked into the ocean since the April 20th explosion. Well, now they can see that number could be much higher there in the Gulf of Mexico.
B.P. is defending its safety record today. The company blames the oil spill on a failed piece of equipment. They still can't say when the leaking wellhead will be plugged, but our Brian Todd is following the investigation into the oil rig spill from Venice, Louisiana -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, first, let's up-date you on what these responders are up against as they try to contain this massive spill as it keeps closer. The weather, you can see the white caps over here, a B.P. official just told me this is what's hampering the efforts to lay boom around here right now, and to deploy underwater dispersants -- thunderstorm warnings around here, very heavy winds and white caps here.
Also, NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has shut down, at least, restricted commercial fishing. So, some of these boats are going to be basically moored in here for a while they test seafood and water samples for oil traces. So, the fishing industry is already being hit hard by that announcement. We are told that some 100 commercial fishermen already have been deployed in a parish near here to help lay boom down. So, at least the fishermen are helping in that effort.
Now, on the investigation, a lot of tough questions facing B.P. today on so-called the blowout preventer that's supposed to prevent this thing from exploding or at least try to contain the oil when something does happen, and whether B.P. officials were fighting additional layers of safety, resisting regulations that would have prevented this, or at least imposed some additional layers of safety on this right. B.P. officials adamantly denying that, saying they did not resist additional regulations.
But the fact remains in rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and in U.S. waters, these rigs are not required to be equipped with a remote control shutoff switch that would have activated that blowout. Bp officials have told me that switch that would have activated that blowup preventer by remote control and possibly mitigated some of this. In other countries, that switch is required.
Now, B.P. officials have told me that, look, that switch does not work as well as these underwater submersibles that we're using here. That switch has not as good a track record as the underwater ROVs that are right now struggling and failing to cap that well. So, they don't -- at least they're telling us they have not really had many tangible mechanisms that would work to cap what is going on right now. But the switch wouldn't have worked and these ROVs are not working.
So, these are some very tough questions that B.P. officials are facing right now and they are defending their safety record.
WHITFIELD: Gosh, this is incredible. So, Brian, you know, separate from trying to cap that well, can you speak any more about B.P.'s efforts to send these chemical dispersants the way of the oil to try to absorb the oil? How well is that going?
TODD: Well, they tested it out twice. Over the past couple nights, they tested out the underwater dispersants deployment system two times. They said, both times, that has tested out very well. It was successful.
I just asked a B.P. official, why haven't you then deployed this in great volume toward the bottom to try to disperse those clumps of water that are massively --
WHITFIELD: That are coming out. Right.
TODD: -- outflowing from that pipe. She said that, basically, the weather is a big factor, that they can't get it out. But they also have to have approval and they're getting approval to do this. But they still have to test it out a little more, see if they can get it down there, 5,000 feet. And they want to spray it right near where the oil is coming out. Still testing, they hope to deploy it soon.
But again, you know, this is -- you hate to say the cliche, it's a race against time. But that oil just keeps pumping out.
WHITFIELD: It's unbelievable. Right.
TODD: They got to get those chemical dispersants down there quickly.
WHITFIELD: And estimates have been 5,000 gallons a day that continue to spew from that well. That's extraordinary.
TODD: Right.
WHITFIELD: All right. Brian Todd, thanks so much.
In the meantime, Alabama's governor is expected to fly over the Gulf Coast today, weather permitting, of course. He wants to get a better look himself at the massive oil slick, and the containment booms which have been deployed.
Our Richard Lui is in Dauphin Island, Alabama.
So, how is the weather holding up and might that ground the governor's efforts?
RICHARD LUI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. We spoke an hour ago, it was a little bit less windy at that time. We had a little bit of sunlight at that time. Now, you can see behind me, full cloud cover.
So, he still will be able probably to get a nice aerial view of what has been deployed here on the coast off the southern parts of Alabama. What I will also say to give you some context behind me, there are no booms. Now, just yesterday, we had booms that had collapsed and they were recovering them. And then on Friday, is when they put out initially about 300 yards of booms. So, they had to remove them because of the sea current.
So, he may see a little bit changed since his last visit over this part of his state. Now, he's going to be in Mobile a little later. And actually that's where we came from this morning. We headed down to Bayou La Batre which is where fishermen, despite all this happening around them, they are celebrating today, Fred. And what they are celebrating is the 61st Annual Fleet Blessing, and that was happening a little bit earlier. The fishermen were preparing for a couple days. I spoke with one, he said, this blessing today on May 2nd, a Sunday, a day of rest, is going to be a little bit different.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAURICE RYAN, BAYOU LA BATRE FISHERMAN: I hope it will change it for me. I hope, you know, I mean, that's why we're here. You got to put your trust in someone. And I really feel like with the church and the bishop, I got my life in good hands because B.P., certainly, isn't helping me.
BISHOP THOMAS RODI, ST. MARGARETS CHURCH: It could have widespread effects, but not only the livelihood of people, an entire way of life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: So, different for the archbishop of Mobile, Alabama, who drove down to Bayou La Batre this morning. And for Maurice Ryan, as he took us on a tour of the waterway, where he will be part of a procession that he has done for many of the 60 years that he's been alive, the ironic part here is that, normally, this is a celebration for them that begins a new season of baiting as well as shrimping, but tomorrow -- he told me -- the state has said they cannot go out into the water.
So, this will not be a celebration for tomorrow, but for today with his son and grandson, just as he has done here, Fred, with his father and his grandfather in year's past.
WHITFIELD: So, they can't go out tomorrow, and they can't go out for, what, another 10 days? So far that's the suspension?
LUI: What they understand at this moment, they don't know when the end of that suspension will be. It's a day-by-day suspension for them. They're talking to what they know of, which is the mayor in the local area of Bayou La Batre. They're also hearing from other local officials.
So, they don't necessarily know all the information from the long term perspective. But day by day, they know tomorrow they can't go out. And that's somewhat frustrating for them.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LUI: And it's very saddening for Maurice Ryan. When I was speaking with him, he was emotional throughout our entire tour of that waterway.
It's happening right now, by the way, and hopefully, they are having a good time. Lots of food when we were there. WHITFIELD: They're trying to keep their spirits up and their hopes up, too.
LUI: Yes. True.
WHITFIELD: All right. Richard Lui, thanks so much.
All right. Let's turn to Jacqui Jeras in the severe weather center because the weather is impacting this oil spill in a very big way.
And when you look behind Richard there and you see, you know, the tide has -- is definitely rough and the wind has picked up, all these things are not good.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No. And you put all those things together and we have tides about two to three feet above normal and coastal flooding.
You know, the winds have been very, very strong. They've been gusting about 40 miles per hour at times, and that's creating very choppy seas. We're looking at six to nine-foot sea seas today. That's down a little bit from yesterday. We will see the weather improve as we progress into early part of next week.
Let's go ahead and show you a satellite image we have from NASA that just came in today. This is a picture that was taken via satellite yesterday. As you can see, you know, we're looking at this oil slick now which is just kind of rubbing right up against, you can see it, Plaquemines Parish. So, that's how far this is starting to spread. And it's a little bit more elongated as you can see as well.
The best thing that I can tell you about all of this is that the original forecast that we got from NOAA was that Mississippi would likely get hit today, and that hasn't happened yet. So, that's a little bit of good news and a lot of that is not that the weather has been favorable because it certainly hasn't. It's because, you know, some of these booms and other measures that they've been taking have been working at least to a degree.
There you can see on the radar that we got showers and thundershowers across the area. This is creating some erratic winds and, of course, that kind of helps churn things up across the area as well. This storm system we thought was going to move through by tomorrow, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
JERAS: But it looks like it's going to start to stall out a little bit. Unfortunately, so we're probably going to have to keep rain in the forecast, at least into Tuesday. But we think today will be the strongest winds that we'll see probably for the next five days. So, you know, a little -- a little bit of help.
WHITFIELD: A little bit of help. Maybe that will help just a little bit. JERAS: Right.
WHITFIELD: Jacqui, appreciate that. Thank you so much.
In the meantime, when we come back, we're going to, of course, continue to watch what's going on with the oil spill and the president will be making his address there from Venice, Louisiana.
But we're also awaiting a press conference out of New York as it relates to that car bomb in Times Square last night. The police commissioner, Ray Kelly, is expected to take to the microphones. When that happens, we'll go there live.
(COMMERCIAL BRESAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Last night, a car bomb was located in Times Square, you're looking at the file tape right there. And momentarily, we understand that Police Commissioner Ray Kelly -- in fact, I think they're ready right now.
Commissioner Ray Kelly at the podium.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
COMMISSIONER RAY KELLY, NEW YORK CITY POLICE: We have identified the registered owner of the Nissan Pathfinder, although we are not making his name public at this time.
We also have determined that the license plate on the rear of the Pathfinder was registered to a different vehicle. That vehicle is in an auto repair shop in Connecticut, where it's matching plate was also found.
We are currently examining video that shows a white male in his 40s, in Shubert Alley, looking back in the direction of west 45th Street. He also was seen shedding a dark colored shirt, revealing a red one underneath. He put the darker one into a bag that he was carrying. This happened about a half block from where the vehicle was parked.
Detectives also are en route to a town in Pennsylvania where a tourist believes he may have captured the suspect's image on his video camera.
Although a Taliban bomb maker has claimed on the Internet that the car bomb was placed in Times Square to avenge of deaths of mujahedeen fighters, we have no evidence to support this claim.
Another claim of responsibility email to a local news organization is being investigated.
About an hour ago, the NYPD bomb squad used an explosive charge to breach the gun locker that was found in the back of the vehicle. It was 55 inches tall, 32 inches wide, and contained eight bags of an unknown substance, as well as an inverted metal pot containing a bird's nest of wires and M-88 firecrackers. We're working with the city's Department of Environmental Protection to further identify the bagged material.
Next to the locker, in the rear cargo area of the Pathfinder, were three propane tanks weighing between 15 and 17 pounds. They are the kind used in backyard barbeques. One of them had M-88 fireworks attached to its side. Some of which detonated inside the vehicle. And M-88 is legal in some states, including Pennsylvania.
On the back seat of the vehicle were two full five-gallon red plastic gasoline containers. Between them was a 16-ounce can filled with between 20 and 30 m-88 devices. Two clocks on the back seat floor of the vehicle were connected by wires to that can. And possibly to the gun locker as well.
In light of the lethal potential of this combination, the department evacuated thousands of people from the Times Square area last night. Including guests of the Marriott Hotel in rooms facing 45th Street. They were permitted to return to their rooms around 3:00 a.m. this morning. After the gun locker and other components of the car bomb were transported to the bomb squad facility in the Bronx.
This morning, we removed the vehicle itself from the NYPD forensic garage in Queens where it is undergoing extensive examination for fingerprints, for hair, and fibers and other evidence that may help us to identify the individual or individuals responsible. Investigators were in the process of combing through hundreds of hours of surveillance videos from the Times Square area. Which may provide additional information? We ask members of the public to come forward if they think they have any information about the incident including any video or images of the vehicle. The easiest way to do that is to call our tips hotline, 1-800-577-tips.
Some of the footage we have shows what we believe to be the suspect vehicle entering West 45th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue at approximately 6:28 p.m. Two minutes later, a t-shirt vendor notified a mounted police officer that there was a car filling with smoke parked on the southwest corner of 45th Street and Broadway. After circling the vehicle on horseback, the officer radioed for additional assistance. He and four additional police officers kept civilians away from the vehicle as the fire department and bomb squad responded to the scene.
As the Times Square incident unfolded. We looked for secondary devices in the area as a precaution. Hundreds of New York City police officers checked sensitive locations including transit hubs and land locks in other areas of the city for evidence or other car bombs or devices. None were found. After members of the bomb squad rendered the vehicle safe, we reopened Broadway to vehicular and pedestrians traffic at 5:15 a.m. today and West 45th Street at 7:30 a.m.
And now special agent George Venizelos will make a statement.
GEORGE VENIZELOS, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Thank you commissioner. I have a couple short statements to make. I want to thank the commander of the NYPD and FDNY for their quick response to Times Square. A lot of lives probably saved with that response. Also, I want everybody to realize that the relationship that the FBI has with the NYPD is seamless, we were notified immediately of the situation, and the JTTF, the Joint Terrorism Task Force was on scene immediately offering any assistance that they needed. Our relationship with the New York JTTF continues and will always continue to be seamless. We consider New York City a major target of terrorists and we always continue to work very closely with NYPF and other agencies within New York City.
The task force is made up of over 50 different state and local agencies, so it's a big pool that comes together to protect New York City and the rest of the country. I also want to -- people to realize the serious nature of terrorism. And also, no matter where you are around the country, if you see something suspicious, report it to your local JTTF or the local police departments within your districts. It's the tips that cause these disruptions we have in these terrorist acts. It's very important that we continue to disrupt the terrorist acts throughout the country and throughout the world.
Again, I want to add my thanks to Commissioner Kelly for having us here, and working very closely with us. And we will continue to pledge our cooperation throughout this case. Thank you.
KELLY: Thank you very much, George.
Questions?
QUESTION: Was mass murder on this fellow's mind? Is this probably the most serious terror attack on New York since 9/11?
KELLY: Yes, we will be releasing the tape; we will be getting it in the proper order to release it. It was the intent of whoever did this to cause may hem to create a casualty. We're doing an in depth analysis now of the material that was used, you know, that -- material that was in the gun box, will determine what that was. It was -- as -- it's a sober reminder that New York is clearly a target of people who want to come here and do us harm.
QUESTION: There was a report of a 911 call around 4:00 in the morning, saying something to the effect of -- the next one's going to be -- can you elaborate on that.
KELLY: We haven't been able to identify that tape. We can't say it didn't happen, but we've checked with our communications division. Right now we have no record of that sort of call.
QUESTION: Any indication Viacom was targeted in anyway?
KELLY: We can't rule anything out at this time.
QUESTION: The smoke was detected by a vendor. Had the SUV been properly rigged for an explosion, would it have gone off before the vendor or anyone else had seen it, had he done it correctly?
KELLY: Perhaps. The bomb experts will have to make that determination.
QUESTION: Can you tell us a little bit about identifying material?
KELLY: We're trying to determine what it is, it's granular in nature. It does have the look and the feel of fertilizer. But we're trying to make that determination at this time.
QUESTION: Is it clear then that you're not sure whether it was an explosive?
KELLY: It's certainly possible. That was the intention of whoever put this together. We need an in depth analysis of the material to make that determination.
QUESTION: Is there any sense of how large the explosion would have been?
KELLY: It looks like it would have caused a significant fireball. In essence, it's incendiary in nature, but we want to do an examination of the material that's in the gun box.
(AUDIO GAP)
KELLY: Well this gun case weighs about 70 pounds, 75 pounds. I would say -- that obviously, if it exploded we would have had a lot of shrapnel from that.
QUESTION: Do you have a chance to examine it any further? Do you think it was a crude device or does it look more sophisticated than we initially thought?
KELLY: It's difficult to say. The system is workable. The materials right now is in doubt. I don't think we can label it at this time, crude or not. Yes, sir.
QUESTION: Does there seem there's going to be a heightened security level around the city? Are you ever going to see more cops on the street? Is there going to be more --
KELLY: We'll certainly have more police officers on patrol, with particular focus to Midtown Manhattan. We know that people may be uncomfortable as a result of this event. We try to increase that comfort level with additional uniform patrol.
QUESTION: Commissioner, you said that there were two sources claiming responsibility, one I understand is the Taliban. You didn't name the other source that claimed responsibility. You say there's no evidence in either organization. Can you tell us what the source was?
KELLY: The other source?
QUESTION: You said there were two sources claiming responsibility.
KELLY: There was a call that -- and what happens in incidents such as this, you get a lot of calls over time, different organizations claiming responsibility. There's no call before this event. There was a call that maybe a poison pen that identified a specific individual, saying that the caller saying he was this individual, and he claimed credits for the event.
QUESTION: An individual?
KELLY: An individual, that's correct. And also, the Taliban group in Pakistan also claimed responsibility. The Asian man who killed people with a handgun in Binghamton, New York last year, they also claimed credit for that, they also claimed credit for an event in Barcelona that investigators don't think they had anything to do with.
QUESTION: There are some similarities between this incident and the incident in London a couple years ago, a very similar bomb. Have you been in touch with your counterparts?
KELLY: We are always in contact with the authorities in the U.K. we actually have officers assigned there. You're talking about the bomb at the nightclub and the individuals, the doctors went up to Scotland. We're very familiar with that event.
QUESTION: Sir can you give us any further details on the town in Pennsylvania where the suspect --
KELLY: No.
QUESTION: You're developing leads that may lead to identification --
KELLY: I can't hear you, can you say it again?
QUESTION: You said in the beginning you are developing leads that may lead to identification, what evidence do you have for that comment? And would it be fair to say that --
KELLY: Well, we have -- obviously, we're going to do an in depth forensic examination. We have information about the vehicle. I said we didn't release the individual's name, so information is starting to come together.
QUESTION: Was the Pathfinder actually reported stolen?
KELLY: No.
QUESTION: Commissioner --
KELLY: Yes, sir.
QUESTION: Do you know how the Pathfinder arrived? Did it have an EZ Pass, and was its license plate caught on any detector over one of the bridges?
KELLY: All part of the investigation.
QUESTION: Do you have any human intelligence? Did anyone get eyes on the white male in his 40s?
KELLY: Well, we're asking the public to help us. We have no immediate information. We have the video cameras, we'll be checking for other cameras. There are some businesses, of course, that weren't opened over the weekend. I will go to that and see if their surveillance cameras provide any help to us.
QUESTION: Commissioner, was that plate stolen?
KELLY: No.
QUESTION: The Iranian president's going to come to town tomorrow. Hillary Clinton -- is this going to fundamentally alter the way you ensure their security? Are you going to ramp it up? Are you that concerned --
KELLY: No, we have a lot of international visitors? We have -- during the U.N. General Assembly; we have as many as 130 heads of state in the city at the same time. We have practices and patterns of protection that we put in place working with the Secret Service and others that we think are affected.
QUESTION: Was there anything that pointed to domestically versus internationally? Or the other way around?
KELLY: No, nothing at this time that would allow us to make a determination at that time.
QUESTION: You said you did not see the license plate? The license plate belonged to --
KELLY: The license plate belonged to a vehicle that was being repaired at the location in Connecticut.
QUESTION: But not --
KELLY: I'm sorry.
QUESTION: But not --
KELLY: Not to the Pathfinder, that's correct.
QUESTION: I'm sorry, one follow-up. You haven't identified this person, but --
KELLY: We have identified the person, but we haven't spoken to him.
QUESTION: Other than the fact this gentleman was changing his shirt in an alley --
KELLY: Yes.
QUESTION: Commissioner, are your investigators looking into any and all significance behind the way the device was made, something of a more adequate persuasion? KELLY: Sure, that's something that will be factored in, you can't discount that. We had several demonstrations yesterday, all of that will be put into the equation.
QUESTION: What are you talking about here?
KELLY: We're talking about the front car, the car going across. You're looking south here, and you're seeing two SUVs basically going across, it's the front vehicle.
QUESTION: Your response, commissioner, the fact that everything in that car could be purchased at home stores?
KELLY: Or other supply stores. Locally available material absolutely.
QUESTION: Last week I saw a number of officers with automatic weapons, I saw them at the subway stop, the bank. Was there an unspecified threat to New York?
KELLY: No, this is a tactic that we've used for several years, Hercules team. We do a variation of that called a torch. There was no specific threat last week that heightened our concerns.
QUESTION: The fact that you haven't spoke to the driver, is it because it's just logistics or is he on the lam?
KELLY: The investigation is continuing.
QUESTION: Commissioner. What you're saying, it sounds like this was a real thing. Where are we --
KELLY: Well, of course, if this had detonated, in my judgment, would have caused casualties, a significant fireball with -- I'm told the vehicle itself would have at least been cut in half, you have large numbers of pedestrians in that area, so yes, we were lucky that it didn't detonate.
QUESTION: Commissioner --
KELLY: Yes, ma'am.
QUESTION: The governor characterized this as a terrorist act. Are you calling it a terrorist act as well?
KELLY: Well, obviously it wasn't an accident. It was somebody who brought this to the location to send a message and to terrorize people in the area. So terrorist act doesn't necessarily have to be conducted by an organization, an individual can do it on their own.
QUESTION: Does it tell you this was not a suicide bomber? Does that tell you anything about who may have been involved?
KELLY: Not particularly.
QUESTION: What if anything -- KELLY: I'm sorry, sir.
QUESTION: Are you going to start screening cars that go to Times Square as a result?
KELLY: Screening cars?
I think that would be very challenging. We have no intention of screening cars at this time. We do -- we do examinations of licenses, those sorts of things on a regular -- on a routine basis throughout the city, traffic checks, that sort of thing.
QUESTION: What, if any connection --
KELLY: It has no connection to the best of my knowledge at this time.
QUESTION: The plate was not stolen?
KELLY: That's right.
QUESTION: Does that suggest then or indicate that the plate was given to whoever put it on the vehicle?
KELLY: We can't make that leap at this time. All we can tell you is, the plate was not reported stolen.
QUESTION: What does it say about New Yorkers, that after this essentially deadly bomb, the area is now packed and crowded? People are not afraid.
KELLY: Well, I think there are a lot of tourists there too. New Yorkers and others, people are very resilient. We have and have had for a while a large police presence in the area. Hopefully that gives people who travel to Times Square a certain level of comfort as I said before. And New Yorkers are pretty tough, resilient people.
QUESTION: I believe you said that at 6:28 across the intersection, and two minutes later the vendors signaled in. Does that say that something went wrong in those two minutes? It seems like a very short window.
KELLY: We say approximately two minutes. You know, the officer made his call at 6:34. So we are approximating somewhat, yes.
QUESTION: Commissioner, are you fairly certain that this was the moment when the bomb was supposed to go off, or was it aborted? What's the best thinking on whether this is the precise location of detonation?
KELLY: In terms of location or time? We believe it was the location. As far as time, I think it's too early to make that determination. With two clocks involved in this, the clocks were wired together, we're not certain what time that was -- they were going to set it off.
QUESTION: What's the -- why do you believe it did not go off?
KELLY: We don't know. It needs an in-depth detonation.
QUESTION: Has the expansion of the lower Manhattan initiative been completed and are you using that --
KELLY: No. The migration of the security initiative to midtown Manhattan, it's really just in the planning stage. I mean, there are cameras there. But they are not tied in the way cameras are in the lower Manhattan security initiative and will be. We're going to continue to build that program up. We are in the planning stage for that movement.
QUESTION: Is that the only -- you have of the car at the moment, or are there others? Are you satisfied with the quality of the surveillance you've been able to see so far?
KELLY: We are attempting to get more pictures of the vehicle. It's not easy to go through these tapes. We have looked at -- I think we have 82 cameras in the area from 34th Street to 51st Street, from 6th Avenue to 8th Avenue. I think the last report I have that we looked at 30 of those cameras. Then three of them had some value. This is the clearest indication. We will continue to look for video, look for cameras. As I say, as businesses open up, we'll be looking for their help as well. I'm sorry, sir.
QUESTION: You said before -- was that picture taken at 6:28 or a little bit before, do you know?
KELLY: 6:28.
QUESTION: That is 6:28.
KELLY: Yes.
QUESTION: There seems to be some confusion about what happened yesterday. The vendor alerted a mounted cop. Then there are also other reports that another vendor was already looking inside the vehicle, noticed it was running. So who's sort of credited as the vendor?
KELLY: I don't know. We appreciate everything they did. We appreciate all the vendors being alert and aware. We'll straighten that out later.
QUESTION: Commissioner, the so-called poison and person -- is that person identified as being related to any terrorist organization? Is that individual being talked to?
KELLY: Well, at this point in the investigation we'll continue to go forward. There's no connection with a terrorist organization. In this individual. Yes.
QUESTION: Can you -- the car again to give us kind of starting at the front of the car and going back what items were located in which spots and how they were connected?
KELLY: In the car?
QUESTION: In the car.
KELLY: In the car everything was -- that we're concerned about was in the rear of the car. On the floor we believe there were the two clocks. Wires running through the clocks to a 16 ounce can that had the -- the explosives in that can. That can was positioned between two five-gallon cans of gasoline. Now, behind the seat was a -- was three propane tanks, 15 to 17 pound propane tanks. There was a gun box. Now, the gun box was also in a cardboard box.
So the box itself was in a cardboard box. Running into that box were wires coming from -- from the -- we believe from the explosives in the can. Now, some of this was disturbed as a result of the -- the pops, explosives going off yesterday. But that's what we -- we believe that the -- the three propane tanks were closest to the seat. And then the -- the rifle box, if you will, was after that towards the back.
QUESTION: What items in that mix is considered an -- device or is it something that's --
KELLY: Say it again.
QUESTION: What is described -- in the box with the clock on it considered the detonation device?
KELLY: The detonation device was the -- I believe the timers would ignite the can of explosives. And that would cause the five- gallon cans to go on fire. And then explode the propane tanks and have some effect on that rifle box. Now, some of that depends on the substance that's in that box that we haven't determined as yet.
QUESTION: Commissioner -- you said it's something you're actively looking at --
KELLY: It certainly is something not excluded. It's part of the investigation.
QUESTION: Commissioner, in terms of the material that you're referring to and the way it was put together, are any of those things a hallmark of a particular type of group, domestic or foreign?
KELLY: I think it's too early to say. The bomb experts will have to weigh in on that. Obviously, the FBI will be, you know, very important in that regard of making those sorts of determinations.
QUESTION: Is there footage of -- of the man in the Nissan getting out of the car that you've seen?
KELLY: No.
QUESTION: During the earlier press conference in Times Square, it was said that the device had started to detonate but malfunctioned. Have you figured out what went wrong and what actually started to detonate?
KELLY: No. Not as yet.
QUESTION: You mentioned that someone in Pennsylvania might -- is that -- captured the --
KELLY: So many people what? Say it again, please.
QUESTION: Somebody in Pennsylvania had video --
KELLY: Yes. This individual had been in New York yesterday afternoon. Stated that he was taking pictures, video, and, in fact, he took a video of the officer on horseback. He had just left a show, was in the area. And that he believes he may have got a picture of someone sort of lunging or leaving the area. We'll take a look at it. We're in the process of retrieving that.
QUESTION: You haven't seen this video yet?
KELLY: No, we have not.
QUESTION: Commissioner, you said you have some video that will be released. When will that be?
KELLY: As soon as we can put it together. We're going to try to do it soon.
QUESTION: There's nothing about Pennsylvania that is directly linked to the crime?
KELLY: No. No.
QUESTION: And this video shows what, exactly? The one that might be later on tonight.
KELLY: That I mentioned before, the individual of a person who is walking down through an alley, which is an alley between 45th Street and 44th Street. The car was parked on the southwest corner of 45th and Broadway. See an individual walking south on Trubert Alley from 45th Street. He stops. He takes a dark shirt off. He looks around. He takes that shirt, puts it in the bag, and he continues to walk south. Looking a couple times in a furtive manner, could be perfectly innocent. But it's something that at this juncture we're asking perhaps that individual to come forward or anybody with any information on that individual. We hope to get that tape out to you soon. Yes, sir.
QUESTION: Do you have any reason to believe that this has -- there's any connection between the president's visit tomorrow and this?
KELLY: No, sir. We have no reason to believe that.
QUESTION: I think you were talking about the --
KELLY: Yes.
QUESTION: Earlier you said the fireworks, the m-88s did you call them?
KELLY: M 88s.
QUESTION: They are legal in Pennsylvania?
KELLY: Yes. It's the closest state in which they are legal. They have less power than an m-80. M-80s are legal, m88s have less force.
QUESTION: Commissioner, would the midtown security initiative have been helpful in this case? And what's the reason that that's not yet completed or beginning?
KELLY: Money. It's an expensive undertaking. We've focused on lower Manhattan. And we are using the technology that we're developing in lower Manhattan to assist the midtown Manhattan initiative. But it takes money -- federal money is what we're looking for in this regard.
QUESTION: Would it have helped in this case?
KELLY: To the extent that it may have added the numbers of cameras we had -- now, the Lower Manhattan Security Initiative and Midtown Manhattan Initiative will have analytic software, which means that you can set up an alarm system for certain activities. Let's say in the most basic sense, you could set off an alarm where a bag is left unattended for a certain period of time. That would turn off an alarm. Or a vehicle drives around the block three times. That would set off an alarm, as well. This is a whole new area for us. It has a lot of promise in that regard, we're very enthusiastic about it.
QUESTION: Just to be clear, Commissioner, you believe there's no further threat at this point? KELLY: I'm sorry?
QUESTION: Do you believe there's no further threat at this point?
KELLY: Related to -- well, we can't make that determination.
QUESTION: But nothing's brewing as far as you know?
KELLY: That's correct. Yes.
QUESTION: Commissioner, is the South Park Comedy Central situations in play in this investigation?
KELLY: Well, we certainly wouldn't rule it out.
QUESTION: You mentioned earlier that there was an e-mail to a local television news station. Was that the same as the poison pen letter that you later mentioned.
KELLY: Yes.
QUESTION: OK. Did that have any Comedy Central angle?
KELLY: No, I don't believe so. Yes.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
KELLY: I can't hear you, I'm sorry.
QUESTION: Can you pinpoint what the detonator was, or if there was a detonator found inside the car?
KELLY: I can't hear you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was the detonator?
KELLY: Was the detonator -- again, we're still examining the alarm clocks. There were batteries in it. But the detonator for the event was that 16-ounce can with the M-88's in it.
QUESTION: These clocks you mention, are these like bedside alarm clocks? The clocks that were in the vehicle, how large where they? What type of clocks?
KELLY: We had a picture of it. There were two basic yellow alarm clocks. I actually thought we brought that picture down. We'll show you a picture of the alarm clocks.
QUESTION: Commissioner, the gun case that you referred to, was it filled with some kind of explosive material or --
KELLY: Well, we're trying to determine that. It was filled with at least eight bags of this material that could be fertilizer -- not marked as fertilizer. It's from a grocery store. And also it had a pot -- a pressure cooker type pot -- with wires in the pot and additional M-80s. M-88s, I'm sorry, in the pot.
QUESTION: And this was opened an hour ago, you said?
KELLY: About an hour and a half ago. This is dangerous work for the men and women of the bomb squad. They use explosives to blow open the case.
QUESTION: You said the bags, the eight bags were grocery store bags?
KELLY: Yes.
QUESTION: Did they have a name on them? (OFF-MIKE)
KELLY: We're still investigating that aspect of it.
QUESTION: Of all the elements you described within the car, what was potentially the most dangerous for the folks (OFF MIKE)? What was the most explosive (OFF-MIKE) would have created the most havoc?
KELLY: Well, the propane tanks can -- if they explode can obviously have an effect. We were just talking before Chief Esposito, we were talking about the fact that propane tanks actually detonated a store years ago in Brooklyn, and killed six people. We don't know the effect of the material inside the gun case.
QUESTION: Commissioner, do propane tanks need to be registered in any way?
KELLY: I'm sorry?
QUESTION: Do propane tanks need to be registered in any way? Is there a way to track them?
KELLY: I don't believe they have to be registered, no?
QUESTION: The department has folks stretched out around the world. You go on site to Israel, you (OFF-MIKE) these areas. Does anything come back within your intelligence network where folks have said, yes, we've seen this kind of thing before? This type of --
(CROSSTALK)
KELLY: I don't know of anything like that. But there's obviously a circle of bomb experts that will talk and communicate about this type of device and see if there's anything else that's surfaced in other areas of the world.
Yes.
QUESTION: Commissioner, just to recap the investigative avenues, you've discussed possible environmentalists. You're not ruling out the Taliban, although there's no evidence. You're not ruling out (OFF-MIKE). And it was May 1st. Is there anything possibly of a manifest element to this?
KELLY: We don't have enough information to say yes or no at this time.
QUESTION: And those other avenues that I restated, is that an accurate statement?
KELLY: Well, we wouldn't rule them out.
QUESTION: The poison pen letter that you had mentioned, that lead and also the lead with the pathfinder, are those going in the same direction?
KELLY: Well, they're going forward.
QUESTION: I mean, just as far as the same individual, are they pointing toward the same individual?
KELLY: Not necessarily.
QUESTION: Commissioner, is the --
KELLY: Here's a picture of the alarm clock, I think.
QUESTION: Commissioner, the license plate belonging to the car in Connecticut that's currently in the repair shop, is there anything suspicious about repair shop or anything (OFF-MIKE) that someone in the repair shop might have given the license plate (OFF-MIKE)?
KELLY: You know, this would be part of the investigation.
QUESTION: Commissioner, is the alarm clock -- were investigators able to tell if the alarm clock had been set to a time? And if so what time that was?
KELLY: We're trying to determine that. You can see the -- it looks like it's 25 to 4:00. And the alarm is set on midnight. The other clock was damaged. So we're not certain what time that was set to.
QUESTION: Commissioner, do you think the pedestrian mall area of Times Square played a factor in the bombing, targeting that area because it's so heavy and populated with tourists concentrated in that area?
KELLY: It's always heavily populated with tourists. It was before that facility was constructed. And again, it was a little bit down a side street. It wasn't directly next to that area.
OK.
QUESTION: Commissioner, just one more. The midnight setting, midnight -- 12:00 is interchangeable.
KELLY: You got me there. I'm sorry. Absolutely.
QUESTION: What I'm trying to say is --
KELLY: But it's correct. Twice a day.
QUESTION: Was that believed to be --
QUESTION: Do these indicate real times?
KELLY: We don't know. I'm telling you this is what we found.
OK. Thank you very much.
(END OF COVERAGE)
