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New York explosion: Cuomo says 'no evidence of international terrorism' – live New York explosion: Cuomo says 'no evidence of international terrorism' – live
(35 minutes later)
5.45pm BST
17:45
Robert Boyle, chief of detectives, ends the press conference by saying the police will spend the next several days collecting video from residences and businesses to search for who was on the block before and after the bombing.
5.44pm BST
17:44
O’Neill says the police “can’t say with 100% certainty where the blast originated,” though he acknowledges that it may have been in a dumpster.
“Dumpsters are a part of life in New York City,” he says. “There’s so much construction in New York City, there’s going to be dumpsters in New York City.”
But he declines to answer any questions about the suspicious device found a few blocks away. “I’m not going to discuss what was found on 27th street.”
“You will see a lot of police presence,” de Blasio warns. “People are smart enough to be vigilant” and call police, he says.
“But again, we will give you the facts as we get the facts.”
Updated
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5.41pm BST
17:41
NYPD chief James O’Neill says he is worried about the city.
“Of course I’m concerned,” he says. “We don’t have anyone apprehended.”
He repeats his call for tips from the public. “If you see something out there that makes you feel uncomfortable, that looks unusual,” he says, call the police tip line.
“It’s not just a police department, it’s everybody that lives works, visits New York City.”
He praises the two officers who circled the block at 27th street and found the second suspicious device on Saturday night.
De Blasio doesn’t use the word terrorism when he describes the bomb, but does continue using the word “intentional”.
“I think it’s important to say what we know and don’t know,” he says, stressing that he only wants to relay confirmed facts.
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5.37pm BST
17:37
De Blasio praises the reaction of New Yorkers who live near the crime scenes, saying he’s seen “tremendous appreciation for the response by the first responders”.
But there’s also a “sense this morning that they needed to go about their lives,” he says.
A woman came in from Queens to go to a Chelsea church, de Blasio says, “she said, ‘for one thing God is with me, and for another thing as a New Yorker. Of course I’m going to keep going.”
“I think there’s a sense of resilience and a real faith that the NYPD is addressing the situation.”
Sweeney fields a question about investigation priorities. He says the FBI will examine any possible suspect or motivation: “we’ll look at individuals, we’ll look at social networks.”
“Everything that comes in gets a look,” he says. “It’s that simple.”
An official with the team investigating the 27th street device says that though police believe it’s related to the 23rd street bomb, “right now we’re not ready to make these calls.”
He says it could take several hours for the bomb squad to complete their examination of the device.
5.32pm BST
17:32
NYPD chief: no claim of responsibility
O’Neill take questions: the first about whether there’s any reason bombs were placed at 23rd and 27th streets.
“At this point we haven’t made the determination that there’s any significance to either location,” O’Neill says.
He’s asked about claims, and answers: “No individual or group has claimed responsibility.”
“New York City is always on a state of alert due to us being the number one target in the word,” O’Neill says of the increased police presence around the city. “We are always in a state of readiness.”
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5.30pm BST
17:30
NYPD chief of department Carlos Gomez says the department has “increased our police presence at each of these events” around the city.
Counter-terror units, officers and “heavy weapons teams” have been deployed around the city. Some streets remain closed for investigation.
Before he takes questions, O’Neill thanks first responders in the fire department, NYPD, hospitals and bomb squad.
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5.29pm BST
17:29
William Sweeney, an assistant director with the FBI next takes the podium.
He says he expects evidence collection to continue for another four to five hours at minimum near the sites at 23rd street and 27th street. He thanks residents for their patience, and says that agents have not started canvassing inside homes and businesses.
“It is vitally important that we do not inadvertently disclose information that might [alert] the subjects,” he says, referring to possible suspects.
NYFD commissioner Daniel Nigro says that there’s no structural damage to buildings or the subway near the blast site at 23rd street, and that he’s happy to say the 29 injured people are released from hospitals.
5.26pm BST
17:26
Commissioner James O’Neill speaks next.
“We have two separate crime scenes,” he says, before noting that it’s “a complex investigation” involving the NYPD, JTTF, ATF and FBI.
“We did find some components indicative of an IED” at the first site on 23rd street, he says.
“We moved the device up from 27th street,” the second site, he adds. “The bomb squad is in the process of working on that device right now
We’ve recovered video from both senes and we’re continuing to canvass from witnesses and additional video
So we need people to call 1-800-577-TIPS
As New Yorkers usually do we’ve received numerous phone calls.
“New York City residents can rest assured,” he says, that NYPD will “do our best to protect them”.
“Right now we don’t have enough information to make any final conclusion.”
5.23pm BST5.23pm BST
17:2317:23
“We know from everything we’ve seen so far that this was an intentional act, but again we do not know the motivation.”“We know from everything we’ve seen so far that this was an intentional act, but again we do not know the motivation.”
“The investigatory agencies continue to look to see if there is any specific connection to the incident in New Jersey,” he says, referring to a pipe bomb that went off in Seaside, New Jersey on Saturday.“The investigatory agencies continue to look to see if there is any specific connection to the incident in New Jersey,” he says, referring to a pipe bomb that went off in Seaside, New Jersey on Saturday.
But he says there’s “no specific evidence” at this time, even though, “we’re not taking any options off the table”.But he says there’s “no specific evidence” at this time, even though, “we’re not taking any options off the table”.
“If you have any information that might link to this incident: video, photos, eyewitness accounts, anything,” he says, tell the police. The number is 1-800-577-TIPS.“If you have any information that might link to this incident: video, photos, eyewitness accounts, anything,” he says, tell the police. The number is 1-800-577-TIPS.
5.21pm BST5.21pm BST
17:2117:21
“This was a very serious incident and it’s going to take a lot of investigation,” de Blasio continues.“This was a very serious incident and it’s going to take a lot of investigation,” de Blasio continues.
“We’re going to be very careful and patient to get to the full truth here,” he says. “We’re not going to jump to conclusion”“We’re going to be very careful and patient to get to the full truth here,” he says. “We’re not going to jump to conclusion”
“We know there was a bombing, that much we do know. We know there was a very serious incident.”“We know there was a bombing, that much we do know. We know there was a very serious incident.”
“But we have a lot more work to say what motive” was behind the attack, he goes on. “Was it a political motivation, was it a personal motivation, we don’t know that yet.”“But we have a lot more work to say what motive” was behind the attack, he goes on. “Was it a political motivation, was it a personal motivation, we don’t know that yet.”
“Twenty-nine individuals were injured, all have been released from the hospital.“Twenty-nine individuals were injured, all have been released from the hospital.
De Blasio’s message to New Yorkers: “be vigilant all the time.”De Blasio’s message to New Yorkers: “be vigilant all the time.”
“We’re going into United Nations general assembly week,” he warns. “You will see a very substantial NYPD presence this week. We would normally have an expanded presence for the United Nations general assembly, it will be even bigger.”“We’re going into United Nations general assembly week,” he warns. “You will see a very substantial NYPD presence this week. We would normally have an expanded presence for the United Nations general assembly, it will be even bigger.”
5.18pm BST
17:18
The press conference with police officials and Bill de Blasio has begun.
NYPD police commissioner James O’Neill, and and an FBI spokesperson will also speak
“I was in the affected area this morning, talking to residents,” de Blasio says. “ I want to commend my fellow New Yorkers who deal with challenges with incredible resiliency.”
He says New Yorkers “are not intimidated by anything”.
“Folks said to me how reassured they were by the speedy response.”
4.59pm BST
16:59
Mayor Bill de Blasio will hold a press conference shortly in New York to provide an update on the investigation, the conditions of the injured 29 people and city plans for the next few days.
New York authorities have kept quiet in the hour since Governor Andrew Cuomo’s press conference, as de Blasio has met with police officials and visited the bombing site in Chelsea.
3.41pm BST
15:41
Cuomo: 'All 29 injured released'
“We really were very lucky that there were no fatalities at the time,” Cuomo tells reporters. He says that all 29 people who were injured have been released from the hospital.
A few, he says, suffered “serious” injuries, but he does not have specific numbers.
He says that because the subway stations in the area suffered no damage, people will be able to start using them again as soon as Monday.
“Whoever placed these bombs we will find and they will be brought to justice, period,” he says. “And they will be punished.”“We will not allow these types of people and these types of threats disrupt life in New York. This is freedom, this is democracy and we’re not going to allow them to take that from us.”
But “no one is taking credit”, he warns. Cuomo admits that his characterization of the explosion as terrorism “depends on your definition of terrorism”.
“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 says. “But the mayor is correct in that there is no link at this time at this preliminary stage to international terrorism.”
Regardless of the perpetrator, he says, “life will go on in New York just the way it did the moment before the bomb.”
“What do they want? They want to instill 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 instill fear, because that would let them win.”
He refuses to speculate this early in the investigation.
“You can guess, you can hypothesize, or you can just wait for the facts and go from there. I’d be dubious on speculating on what we don’t know .”
The damage from the explosion, he says, is “visible down the street. There’s glass everywhere, shrapnel everywhere”.
Updated
at 3.42pm BST
3.32pm BST
15:32
Cuomo: 'no evidence of international terrorism connection'
Martin Pengelly
Governor Andrew Cuomo has spoken in New York City, having had a “walking tour” of the site of last night’s explosion.
He began by thanking the MTA transit authority and all first-responders. There is “significant property damage on both sides of the site of the explosion” he said, adding that it is “really lucky there were no fatalities”. The subway under the site has been examined but there is no damage and full service will resume tomorrow, he said.
Cuomo said he had been briefed by all relevant law enforcement agencies and “at this time there is no evidence of an international terrorism connection with this incident”.
But he added that it was early in the investigation and the FBI had taken the “bomb that did not detonate” to the FBI training centre at Quantico in Virginia for study. Material from the New Jersey bomb that exploded on Saturday was also going to Quantico, he said.
Cuomo and New Jersey governor Chris Christie are co-operating but the bombs in Seaside Park “appear to be different from the one that exploded in Manhattan”, he said.
“We have no reason to believe at this time that there is any further immediate threat,” Cuomo added, but “close to 1,0000 extra police and national guard people” will police bus, train and subway stations when New York goes back to work on Monday, a measure Cuomo said was “prudent”.
“Whoever placed these bombs we will find and bring to justice, period,” Cuomo said. “We will not allow these types of threats to disrupt our life in New York. … This is freedom, this is democracy and we’re not going to allow them to take that from us.”
Some questions from the press followed. Both New York devices were “similar in design”, Cuomo said. (The one that did not go off was a pressure cooker with a mobile phone attached.) He later said he had been advised that the first explosion was caused by a similar device.
“A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism,” Cuomo said, “but it’s not linked to international terrorism, in that we have not found links to Isis and etc.”
This could be a “lone wolf” attack, he agreed, “but we just don’t know”.
Cuomo also said: “This is my worst nightmare … one of the nightmare scenarios, and your mind immediately goes to was anyone hurt, was anyone killed? … When you see the damage I think we were lucky there were no fatalities.”
There is “glass everywhere, shrapnel everywhere”, he said.
Updated
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2.55pm BST
14:55
Martin Pengelly
New York is this morning waking up to a grey and close September day, reading the news and waiting for a scheduled press conference involving mayor Bill de Blasio and police chief James O’Neill, likely at 12 noon ET.
That means there is plenty of time for speculation and some recrimination on the Sunday talk shows, the recrimination focusing on the reactions to the explosion yesterday of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the presidential candidates who both call New York their home.
Here’s what Trump said on an airport tarmac in Colorado, in contrast to Clinton’s studied deferral to official investigators last night:
On CNN this morning, Trump surrogate and governor of New Jersey – where a pipe bomb exploded by the scheduled course of a 5km run yesterday – Chris Christie defended his man, saying “I don’t think you have to defer” to law enforcement in such situations, that the blast (in a city sadly familiar with gas explosions) had clearly been caused by a bomb, which “everybody knew” right away, and that “what Donald did was appropriate”.
Christie also said there was no evidence of any link between the explosions in New York and New Jersey.
We’re keeping a watch on developments, but the press conference at noon will be the next major information point.
11.17am BST
11:17
Confirming earlier reports, the New York City mayor Bill de Blasio and other city officials have said investigators have ruled out a gas leak as the cause of the blast. But they stopped short of calling it a bombing and declined to specify precisely what they believed may have triggered the explosion.
9.43am BST
09:43
Tim Teeman of the Daily Beast has been on the scene in Manhattan.
Ghost Avenue: The view towards Penn Station and 42nd Street up a traffic and people-free 7th Avenue. #NYC pic.twitter.com/A3coORC54s
9.29am BST
09:29
Quick update on the second device found on West 27th Street. It was removed by a NYPD bomb squad robot and has been taken to a police firing range in the Bronx.
Updated
at 9.33am BST
8.17am BST
08:17
Possible pressure-cooker bomb removed following explosion in Chelsea
Elle Hunt
It seems likely that we may not find out more about the Chelsea explosion until the press conference scheduled for Sunday noon.
Here is what we know so far:
Updated
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7.51am BST
07:51
This just in from the NYPD.
The next press update will likely be tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. from One Police Plaza w/@NYPDONeill @BilldeBlasio @NewYorkFBI & @FDNY