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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/sep/19/us-authorities-investigating-new-jersey-explosive-devices-live-updates
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| New York bombings: Ahmad Khan Rahami in custody after shootout – live | New York bombings: Ahmad Khan Rahami in custody after shootout – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 6.44pm BST | |
| 18:44 | |
| Sweeney stresses that there’s a lot of work to be done about the Rahami’s motivation: “I do not have information yet to show what the path of radicalization was yet.” | |
| At this point we are extremely grateful that we were able to apprehend the suspect out in Linden, New Jersey. | |
| We are the number one target in the world, but as far as this investigation, and working with the FBI, I know that I’m a lot happier than I was at this time yesterday.” | |
| O’Neill praises “good old fashioned police work” as well as the technology used in teh investigation. De Blasio says authorities are not looking for a second suspect at this time.” | |
| He warns people to stay on the lookout for suspicious people or objects, “particularly an unattended package, that they report it immediately.” | |
| Sweeney comments on the fact that Rahami was captured alive. The fact that he survived is excellent, both from an investigative standpoint and that we saved a life.” | |
| 6.40pm BST | |
| 18:40 | |
| Sweeney is asked about how exactly they identified Rahami – there are reports anonymously sourced to law enforcement saying that the first ID’d him with a fingerprint. Sweeney’s answer is oblique: “Any piece of evidence that we obtained whether it’s a piece, a fragment or whole, is worthwhile, so I will leave it at that.” | |
| O’Neill is asked about motivation. “We don’t have that yet,” he says, “that’s all part of the investigation.” | |
| 6.38pm BST | |
| 18:38 | |
| FBI: no indication of a terror cell | |
| US attorney Preet Bharara says that Rahami has not yet been charged but that he will be later today. | |
| He says that federal and state authorities are working out how to level “careful and thorough” charges. | |
| “We’re absolutely not ruling anything out,” Sweeney answers a reporter’s question about possible associations. He declines to say anything about what investigators might have found in Rahami’s possession or online records. | |
| “I have no indication that there’s a cell operating in the area or in the city,” he says, with the caveat that “the investigation is ongoing.” | |
| 6.35pm BST | |
| 18:35 | |
| FBI: Rahami directly linked to bombs | |
| De Blasio warns “we will have a very strong and visible NYPD presence because of this incident and obviously because of the United Nations General Assembly.” | |
| “You will see our officers in the subway, you will see bags being checked, bomb-sniffing dogs, that will continue throughout hte week.” | |
| “So I ask all New Yorkers, continue your vigilance, continue to share all information with your law enforcement.” | |
| Sweeney, the FBI agent, takes the podium. | |
| “Hundreds of personnel from hte New York and New Jersey JTTFs, along with the FBI bureau, have been working tracking leads, reviewing surveillance footage … and executing searches.” | |
| “The JTTF began to focus on Ahmad Khan Rahami, working to [leran] his wherabouts.” | |
| Officers conducted a traffic stop at the Verrazano Bridge in Brooklyn, he says, after it “had been observed by JTTF personnel at a location associated with Rahami.” | |
| “The passengers were questioned,” he says, “and no one in that car is under arrest.” They then conducted searches and interviews in Linden and Perth, New Jersey.” | |
| He says only that they have directly linked Rahami to the devices found in New York and New Jersey, but that he won’t answer questions yet about any possible links to other people or groups. He urges the public to come forward with any information they might have. | |
| 6.31pm BST | |
| 18:31 | |
| New York mayor: 'this was an act of terror' | |
| “We have a lot more information and it’s coming in all the time,” de Blasio says. “We have every reason to believe this was an act of terror.” | |
| He again urges New Yorkers to “be vigilant” and report anything suspicious to 1-800-577-TIPS, a hotline for police tips. | |
| 6.29pm BST | |
| 18:29 | |
| The NYPD briefing has just begun, with commissioner James O’Neill and mayor Bill de Blasio. NYPD officials Carlos Gomez and FBI agent Bill Sweeney are also there. | |
| O’Neill says it’s been “an extremely busy today” and that “today our efforst were succesfful”. | |
| He praises police who identified, traced and caught suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami. | |
| “We had two police officers who were injured out in Linden, New Jersey, and I wish them our best.” | |
| “For my first day on this job, but certainly not my first day on the job, I’m certainly so proud of what I saw that day.” O’Neill’S first day as commissioner | |
| “This case is still very much active. Our primary focus has been to identify and apprehend the person responsible for this crime. Now that he has been captured we can focus [on possible connections or associations].” | |
| De Blasio also thanks first responders for their “extraordinary skill and courage” and thanks federal and state partners. “We are hoping [the injured officers] will have a very speedy recovery.” | |
| “There are some things we’re not going to be able to talk about,” he warns. He also says he just received a call from President Obama, who told him “how much he admires the resilience of the people of New York City.” | |
| 6.23pm BST | |
| 18:23 | |
| The bombing suspect is currently in surgery for a gunshot wound and the three officers injured do not have life-threatening wounds, officials in New Jersey have just told reporters. | |
| “Whether it’s coordinated, inspired, led with others, how it developed, whether the person developed any views,” Senator Bob Menendez says, “in and of itself, from my perspective, it’s an act of terrorism.” | |
| “I think it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to say yo were willing to do harm to others,” he says, it’s terrorism under his definition. | |
| Elizabeth Mayor Chsis Bollwage says “the suspect was not on the radar of local law enforcement but the fried chicken place that they own” had had problems with the city. | |
| “Some code enforcement problems and some noise complaints,” he says. “When they ran the business in 2002 they ran the place for 24 hours. [We got] neighborhood complaints regarding a congregation of people, making noise, sought a city council ordnance. At which time the suspect’s father and two brothers took the city of Elizabeth to court. “In October 2012 the courts ruled in the city’s favor.” | |
| “I can tell you the restaurants closed,” he concludes. | |
| “Regarding the people who live here the town is extremely safe, the businesses are open, the trains are running, the schools are open. people need to continue on with their daily lives.” | |
| 6.11pm BST | |
| 18:11 | |
| The family of suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami runs a fried chicken restaurant, First American Fried Chicken, and has had problems with the town of Elizabeth in the past, Mayor Chris Bollwage told reporters this morning, | |
| The AP reports that the suspect’s father, Mohammad Rahami, and two of his sons filed a lawsuit against the city in 2011, claiming that they were targeted for discrimination because they are Muslims. | |
| The lawsuit claims that starting in July 2008 Elizabeth police and city officials tried to illegally restrict their restaurant’s hours, and that complaints by neighbors were based in anti-Muslim sentiment. The claims were terminated in 2012 after Mohammad Rahami plead guilty to blocking police from enforcing teh restriction. Ahmad Khan Rahami was not part of the lawsuit. | |
| The city argued that its restrictions on opening hours against the restaurant, which had been running 24 hours a day, were based on complaints by neighbors who saw people loitering, making noise and littering throughout the night. | |
| You can read the full lawsuit here. Police have said that they have taken members of the family in for questioning, though they have not been charged. | |
| 6.02pm BST | 6.02pm BST |
| 18:02 | 18:02 |
| A man named Mike Markowycz has posted on Facebook in which audio of what is apparently the shootout between Ahmad Khan Rahami and police. A man in the video says that they actually witness the shooting, but he does not actually capture any video of the confrontation. | A man named Mike Markowycz has posted on Facebook in which audio of what is apparently the shootout between Ahmad Khan Rahami and police. A man in the video says that they actually witness the shooting, but he does not actually capture any video of the confrontation. |
| 5.56pm BST | 5.56pm BST |
| 17:56 | 17:56 |
| NYPD officials have delayed the briefing in the wake of Rahami’s arrest, though reporters are in the room and officials are testing the microphone. | NYPD officials have delayed the briefing in the wake of Rahami’s arrest, though reporters are in the room and officials are testing the microphone. |
| On the campaign trail in Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton has remarked briefly on the bombing. My colleague Sabrina Siddiqui reports: | On the campaign trail in Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton has remarked briefly on the bombing. My colleague Sabrina Siddiqui reports: |
| Clinton touched upon the attacks briefly at a campaign rally in Philadelphia targeting millennial voters. After informing the crowd a suspect linked to the New York bombing was allegedly in custody, Clinton emphasized the need to “remain vigilant.” | Clinton touched upon the attacks briefly at a campaign rally in Philadelphia targeting millennial voters. After informing the crowd a suspect linked to the New York bombing was allegedly in custody, Clinton emphasized the need to “remain vigilant.” |
| “This is a fast-moving situation and a sobering reminder that we need steady leadership,” she said. | “This is a fast-moving situation and a sobering reminder that we need steady leadership,” she said. |
| Her opponent Donald Trump quickly sought to politicize the explosion this weekend, even when few details were known about what had happened. He has also released a statement blaming Clinton’s “weakness”. | Her opponent Donald Trump quickly sought to politicize the explosion this weekend, even when few details were known about what had happened. He has also released a statement blaming Clinton’s “weakness”. |
| Hillary Clinton's weakness while she was Secretary of State, has emboldened terrorists all over the world..cont: https://t.co/E5BdTiwlur | Hillary Clinton's weakness while she was Secretary of State, has emboldened terrorists all over the world..cont: https://t.co/E5BdTiwlur |
| 5.35pm BST | 5.35pm BST |
| 17:35 | 17:35 |
| We’re expecting a briefing in the next few minutes by NYPD commissioner James O’Neill and New York mayor Bill de Blasio. We’ll relay their remarks live on the blog, but you can also follow along on the live stream below. | We’re expecting a briefing in the next few minutes by NYPD commissioner James O’Neill and New York mayor Bill de Blasio. We’ll relay their remarks live on the blog, but you can also follow along on the live stream below. |
| 5.32pm BST | 5.32pm BST |
| 17:32 | 17:32 |
| Ahmad Khan Rahami was found sleeping in a bar hallway before a shootout and his eventual arrest, according to Linden Mayor Derek Armstead’s comments to the AP. | Ahmad Khan Rahami was found sleeping in a bar hallway before a shootout and his eventual arrest, according to Linden Mayor Derek Armstead’s comments to the AP. |
| Armstead said the owner of a bar found the man sleeping in his hallway Monday morning. He says the man was initially presumed to be a vagrant, but police officers who responded quickly realized it was Ahmad Khan Rahami. | Armstead said the owner of a bar found the man sleeping in his hallway Monday morning. He says the man was initially presumed to be a vagrant, but police officers who responded quickly realized it was Ahmad Khan Rahami. |
| Armstead said the man pulled out a handgun and fired at the officers, hitting one in a bulletproof vest. The man then began firing as he ran down the street and police shot him in the leg. The man was conscious when he was taken away in an ambulance. | Armstead said the man pulled out a handgun and fired at the officers, hitting one in a bulletproof vest. The man then began firing as he ran down the street and police shot him in the leg. The man was conscious when he was taken away in an ambulance. |
| Linden police Captain James Sarnicki said three police officers were taken to the hospital. One was hit by shrapnel and another had high blood pressure. | Linden police Captain James Sarnicki said three police officers were taken to the hospital. One was hit by shrapnel and another had high blood pressure. |