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Mayor de Blasio Avoids Terrorism Label in Manhattan Explosion Mayor de Blasio Avoids Terrorism Label in Manhattan Explosion
(about 1 hour later)
It was in the minds of New Yorkers, who immediately drew comparisons to Sept. 11, 2001. It could be felt in the police response, which included teams of heavily armed officers stationed at key targets and the Joint Terrorism Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Police Department. It was on the minds of New Yorkers, who immediately drew comparisons to Sept. 11, 2001. It could be felt in the police response, which included teams of heavily armed officers stationed at key targets and the Joint Terrorism Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Police Department.
But for Mayor Bill de Blasio and top city officials, terrorism was the word that could not be spoken on Sunday.But for Mayor Bill de Blasio and top city officials, terrorism was the word that could not be spoken on Sunday.
Seeking to project a responsible and measured reaction, the mayor pointedly avoided calling the bombing in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan on Saturday that injured 29 people — and the presence of a seemingly related but undetonated device a few blocks away — a potential act of terror, declining at several points on Sunday to do so. He emphasized that there would be no “easy answers” and that no suspect had yet been apprehended. Seeking to project a responsible and measured reaction, the mayor pointedly avoided calling the bombing in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan on Saturday that injured 29 people — and the presence of a seemingly related but undetonated device a few blocks away — a possible act of terror, declining at several points on Sunday to do so. He emphasized that there would be no “easy answers” and that no suspect had yet been apprehended.
Absent a motivation, Mr. de Blasio suggested the word terrorism should not be used, shaking his head in disapproval at the notion that the basic facts of the bombing could be described that way.Absent a motivation, Mr. de Blasio suggested the word terrorism should not be used, shaking his head in disapproval at the notion that the basic facts of the bombing could be described that way.
“Here is what we know: It was intentional, it was a violent act, it was certainly a criminal act, it was a bombing — that’s what we know,” he said on Sunday, flanked by law enforcement officials at Police Headquarters in Lower Manhattan. “To understand there any specific motivations, political motivations, any connection to an organization — that’s what we don’t know.” “Here is what we know: It was intentional, it was a violent act, it was certainly a criminal act, it was a bombing — that’s what we know,” he said on Sunday, flanked by law enforcement officials at Police Headquarters in Lower Manhattan. “To understand there were any specific motivations, political motivations, any connection to an organization — that’s what we don’t know.”
The approach appeared aimed at calming nerves in a city on edge, and at avoiding a rush to conclusions, both in New York City and across the country. The approach appeared to be aimed at calming nerves in a city on edge, and at avoiding a rush to conclusions, both in New York City and across the country.
Unlike other past events that were labeled terrorism, including a 2014 ax attack on police officers in Queens by a man said to have been inspired by the Islamic State, the authorities have yet to identify a suspect or suspects in the bombing that would allow them to determine — through interviews or a history of online activity — the underlying reason for the attack.Unlike other past events that were labeled terrorism, including a 2014 ax attack on police officers in Queens by a man said to have been inspired by the Islamic State, the authorities have yet to identify a suspect or suspects in the bombing that would allow them to determine — through interviews or a history of online activity — the underlying reason for the attack.
The F.B.I., as of late Sunday, had not officially labeled the attack as terrorism, though Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president who is supported by Mr. de Blasio, released a statement that characterized it as among three “apparent terror attacks” on Saturday, including an explosion in New Jersey and a knife attack in Minnesota.The F.B.I., as of late Sunday, had not officially labeled the attack as terrorism, though Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president who is supported by Mr. de Blasio, released a statement that characterized it as among three “apparent terror attacks” on Saturday, including an explosion in New Jersey and a knife attack in Minnesota.
“It could have been something personally motivated,” Mr. de Blasio said. “We don’t know yet.”“It could have been something personally motivated,” Mr. de Blasio said. “We don’t know yet.”
The approach by Mr. de Blasio at news conferences on late Saturday and Sunday appeared similar to the initial response to another recent explosion in Manhattan, in July in Central Park that seriously injured a man from Virginia who jumped on a device similar to a homemade firework. The approach by Mr. de Blasio at news conferences over the weekend appeared similar to the initial response to another recent explosion in Manhattan, in which a man from Virginia was seriously injured in July when he jumped on a device similar to a homemade firework in Central Park.
City officials quickly tried to dissociate that explosion from any broad terrorism plot, instead labeling it the act of a hobbyist experimenting with fireworks. This drew criticism from some New Yorkers, who felt officials did so in haste simply to quell fears.City officials quickly tried to dissociate that explosion from any broad terrorism plot, instead labeling it the act of a hobbyist experimenting with fireworks. This drew criticism from some New Yorkers, who felt officials did so in haste simply to quell fears.
No one has been arrested for placing or assembling the Central Park device, and the police have not wavered from their initial hypothesis about the explosion. The police later announced the device contained substances “which are commonly and legally available for sale in certain hardware stores.” One of the chemicals was TATP, or triacetone triperoxide, which has been used to detonate bombs in terror attacks overseas and has become the Islamic State’s explosive of choice.No one has been arrested for placing or assembling the Central Park device, and the police have not wavered from their initial hypothesis about the explosion. The police later announced the device contained substances “which are commonly and legally available for sale in certain hardware stores.” One of the chemicals was TATP, or triacetone triperoxide, which has been used to detonate bombs in terror attacks overseas and has become the Islamic State’s explosive of choice.
On Sunday, police officials said there was no link between the Central Park explosion and the one in Chelsea.On Sunday, police officials said there was no link between the Central Park explosion and the one in Chelsea.
In striking a tone of deliberation on Sunday, Mr. de Blasio risked creating a dissonance between the dictionary definition of terrorism — violence with a political motive — and the creeping sense of inevitability that the terror attacks more common elsewhere in the world would find their way to New York.In striking a tone of deliberation on Sunday, Mr. de Blasio risked creating a dissonance between the dictionary definition of terrorism — violence with a political motive — and the creeping sense of inevitability that the terror attacks more common elsewhere in the world would find their way to New York.
To some, Mr. de Blasio also appeared to conflate terrorism in general — a deadly tactic with many political motives — with terrorism motivated or carried out by the Islamic State and other radical Muslim groups.To some, Mr. de Blasio also appeared to conflate terrorism in general — a deadly tactic with many political motives — with terrorism motivated or carried out by the Islamic State and other radical Muslim groups.
“I believe the mayor was saying there was no connection with international terrorism and that is correct,” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, said on Sunday, referring to the mayor’s comments the night before, when he said there was no initial indication the bombing was terrorism.“I believe the mayor was saying there was no connection with international terrorism and that is correct,” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, said on Sunday, referring to the mayor’s comments the night before, when he said there was no initial indication the bombing was terrorism.
"A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism,” Mr. Cuomo added. “But it’s not linked to international terrorism. In other words, we find no ISIS connection.”"A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism,” Mr. Cuomo added. “But it’s not linked to international terrorism. In other words, we find no ISIS connection.”
The city has experienced bombings with a variety of motivations over the years, from the Weather Underground, which opposed the Vietnam War, to George P. Metesky, the Mad Bomber who in the 1940s and ’50s terrorized the city with bombs in subway stations, movie theaters and a Macy’s department store. His motive appeared to be anger at the electric company Consolidated Edison.The city has experienced bombings with a variety of motivations over the years, from the Weather Underground, which opposed the Vietnam War, to George P. Metesky, the Mad Bomber who in the 1940s and ’50s terrorized the city with bombs in subway stations, movie theaters and a Macy’s department store. His motive appeared to be anger at the electric company Consolidated Edison.
Of late, however, many episodes later deemed terror attacks have been committed by homegrown extremists inspired by the Islamic State or Al Qaeda.Of late, however, many episodes later deemed terror attacks have been committed by homegrown extremists inspired by the Islamic State or Al Qaeda.
Before the news conference at Police Headquarters on Sunday, Mr. de Blasio and Mr. Cuomo toured the bombing scene on West 23rd Street near Avenue of the Americas and spoke with residents and visitors at a diner, a barbershop and inside a Starbucks. The two men — bitter political rivals — embraced before their tour and offered words of reassurance to tourists and locals alike.Before the news conference at Police Headquarters on Sunday, Mr. de Blasio and Mr. Cuomo toured the bombing scene on West 23rd Street near Avenue of the Americas and spoke with residents and visitors at a diner, a barbershop and inside a Starbucks. The two men — bitter political rivals — embraced before their tour and offered words of reassurance to tourists and locals alike.
“Don’t let them scare us,” Mr. Cuomo said to a woman from the neighborhood.“Don’t let them scare us,” Mr. Cuomo said to a woman from the neighborhood.
Tyschelle Doucette, a Jamaica, Queens, resident who still made her Sunday trip to Chelsea for church, told Mr. de Blasio that she was in New York on Sept. 11, 2001. “If it’s happening, it’s happening,” she said. Mr. de Blasio commended her as an example for other New Yorkers. Mr. de Blasio applauded a woman who made her regular Sunday trip to church in Chelsea. “We don’t even know what this is yet,” he told her.
“We don’t even know what this is yet,” the mayor told her.