Monday, 19 September 2016

[UPDATE] New York Explosion


New York City’s new police commissioner, James O’Neill, during a briefing at New York Police headquarters on Monday afternoon.CreditSam Hodgson for The New York Times

Highlights from the news briefing by officials at New York Police headquarters on Monday afternoon:

With this morning’s arrest of Ahmad Rahami, no one else is currently being sought, said Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York.

But the investigation is continuing. “This case is still very much active,” said New York City’s new police commissioner, James O’Neill. “Now that we have the suspect in custody,” he said, the investigation will focus on “whether this individual acted alone and what his motivations may have been.”

Two Linden, N.J., police officers were wounded during the capture of Mr. Rahami there, officials said.

Mr. Rahami will probably face additional charges “based on the shooting of the police officers” in Linden, said Preet Bharara, the federal prosecutor for the district covering Manhattan.

Mayor de Blasio said of the explosion that rocked New York on Saturday night, “We have every reason to believe this was an act of terror.”

Mr. Rahami does not appear to have been on a terrorism watch list. “There’s nothing to indicate that he was currently on our radar,” said William F. Sweeney Jr., an assistant director of the F.B.I.

Mr. Sweeney was asked whether Mr. Rahami had offered any kind of statement after his arrest. “Not that I’m aware of,” he said.

A heavy security presence is blanketing University Hospital in Newark.

Stacie Newton, a hospital spokeswoman, confirmed that Ahmad Khan Rahami and one officer involved the shooting were being treated at the hospital. She did not immediately respond to a question regarding their conditions.

Security officers are currently not allowing visitors into the Trauma Center, according to bystanders.

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