New York City explosion: Manhattan blast that injured 29 was 'an act of terrorism'

Blast: Crime scene investigators work at the scene of Saturday's explosion
Craig Ruttle/AP
Mark Chandler18 September 2016

An explosion in Manhattan that injured 29 people was an act of terrorism although no link has been found to international groups, New York's governor said today.

Last night's blast in the Chelsea district is thought to have been triggered by an explosive device hidden in a bin.

Another device was found nearby and removed from the scene by police

Speaking to reporters today, Governor Andrew Cuomo said: "A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism but it’s not linked to international terrorism.

"In other words, we’ve found no Isis connection."

He went on: "Life will go on in New York just the way it did the moment before the bomb.

“What do they want? They want to instil terror. They want to make you afraid.

"They want to make you worry about going into New York City or New York state. We’re not going to let them instil fear, because that would let them win.”

This morning FBI investigators were examining remnants of the bomb plus an unexploded device found four blocks away and another device that exploded in New Jersey on Saturday to see if they were connected.

Some 1,000 additional state police and national guard officers were being sent to the city to patrol transportation hubs as a precaution, he said.

The FBI is taking evidence from all three sites to its special crime laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, said Cuomo, adding that he had been briefed by "all the relevant agencies."

Most of the injured were treated for minor injuries including shrapnel wounds, though police listed one injury as serious.

New York: Firefighters at the scene (REUTERS)
Rashid Umar Abbasi/Reuters

All have since been released from hospital.

The blast happened on West 23rd Street, in front of a residence for the blind, near a major road with many restaurants and a supermarket. Witnesses said the explosion at about 8.30pm blew out the windows of businesses and scattered debris.

New York City subway routes were affected by the explosion, which rattled some New Yorkers and visitors on the heels of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Emergency: Police and firefighters work near the scene of an apparent explosion in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood (AP)
Andres Kudacki/AP

Chris Gonzalez, visiting from Dallas, was having dinner with friends at a restaurant in the area. "We felt it. We heard it," Mr Gonzalez said. "It wasn't like jolting or anything. Everyone just went quiet."

Rudy Alcide, a nightclub bouncer, said he at first thought something large had fallen. "It was an extremely loud noise. Everything was shaking, the windows were shaking," he said.

"It was extremely loud, almost like thunder but louder."

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