New York Bomb Blast; an "act of terrorism" as 1,000 police deployed to protect citizens

US: 29 people were wounded after an explosive device detonated that blow out windows, damaged cars and sent dozens of terrified people running for their life in the street outside the Townhouse Inn of Chelsea, in Manhattan, New York at around 8.30pm Saturday. The governor of New York Andrew Cuomo has described the explosion, as an "act of terror" that has no apparent international link, adding that 1,000 extra police officers have been deployed in the city to protect citizens.

Police said a second device believed to be a pressure cooker that failed to detonate, was found four blocks away.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the scene of the explosion which he said caused significant damage, Governor Cuomo said;

“Whoever placed these bombs, we will find and they will be brought to justice.”

“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,” Cuomo said.

“But a bomb going off is generically a terrorist activity. That’s how we’ll consider it. And that’s how we will prosecute it,” he added.

The governor noted that while there was no evidence of an international terror link “at this time,” it was still “very early in the investigation.”

An extra 1000 state police and National Guard will deploy to airports, bus terminals and subway stations to reassure New Yorkers returning to work on Monday that the city is up and running, he said.

“We have no reason to believe at this time that there is any further immediate threat,” Cuomo said.

The explosion on 23rd Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, caused “significant” property damage with glass and shrapnel “everywhere,” the governor said.

According to The New York Post, police sources said the secondary device was a cooker with wiring and a mobile phone attached inside a plastic grocery bag, which had been placed inside a garbage can.

 

The police are also investigating a piece of paper found in the bag.

While the two devices planted in Manhattan appear to be similar, at this stage they seem to be different than a pipe bomb that exploded in the neighbouring state of New Jersey on Saturday, said the governor.

A blast had occurred in New Jersey on Saturday in Seaside Park during a Marine Corps charity run but caused no injuries.