29 injured in New York explosion
The blast occurred on a major east-west thoroughfare. and was believed by law enforcement officials to have been caused by an IED.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday there was still no indication that an explosion that injured 29 people in Manhattan on Saturday was linked to international terrorism, while investigators scoured the scene of the blast.
FBI investigators were to examine remnants of the bomb plus an unexploded device found four blocks away and another device that exploded about 80 miles (130 km) away in New Jersey on Saturday to see if they were connected, Mr. Cuomo said.
No international group had claimed responsibility “but it is very, very early in the investigation,” the State Governor told reporters, reiterating what New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had said hours after the blast.
“A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism, but it’s not linked to international terrorism. In other words, we find no ISIS connection, et cetera,” Mr. Cuomo said, referring to the Islamic State.
With world leaders due to arrive in the city ahead of the UN General assembly, some 1,000 additional state police and National Guard officers were being sent to the city to patrol transportation hubs as a precaution, Mr. Cuomo said. A sweep of the neighbourhood following the blast had turned up another device four blocks away consisting of a pressure cooker with wires attached to it and connected to a cell phone.
Pressure cooker bombs were used in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and wounded more than 260.
The New Jersey explosion came from a pipe bomb, officials said. A U.S. official familiar with information circulating inside the government said the motive remained unknown and insufficient evidence had been gathered to link the two New York bombs.
There was no evidence to connect them to the New Jersey blast, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Most of the injured were treated for minor injuries including shrapnel wounds and released, though police listed one injury as serious.
The reverberated through the Chelsea district of Manhattan around 8:30 p.m. (0030 GMT Sunday) on 23rd Street, a block of mostly commercial spaces at street level with residential floors above.
The explosion quickly became an issue in the presidential race. Republican candidate Donald Trump told an audience, “We better get very tough, folks.” Democratic rival Hillary Clinton said in a statement she had been briefed but would wait until she had more information before commenting further. — Reuters
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Source:Thehindu
