Pipe bomb strapped to man explodes in NYC subway near port authority and Times Square, injuring four
(The Star Theatre)

NEW YORK—A man with a pipe bomb strapped to him set off the crude device in the subway near Times Square on Monday, injuring the suspect and three other people at the height of the morning rush hour.The man and three others were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries in what the mayor and police labelled an attempted terror attack.The explosion happened in an underground passageway under 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. The 7:30 a.m. blast caused smoke to fill the passageway, which was crowded with throngs of Monday morning commuters.Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill labelled it an attempted terror attack.“Thank God the perpetrator did not achieve his ultimate goals,� de Blasio said.The suspect was identified as 27-year-old Akayed Ullah.Law enforcement officials said he was inspired by Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, but had apparently not had any direct contact with the group. The officials said he lives in Brooklyn and may be of Bangladeshi descent. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the blast.Authorities said the bomb was a low-tech explosive device attached to the man with Velcro and plastic ties. They were investigating how it was made.A photo published by the New York Post showed a bearded man crumpled on the ground with his shirt apparently blown off and black soot covering his bare midriff. A police officer is holding the man’s hands behind his back.The explosion triggered a massive emergency response by police and firefighters both above and below ground, tangling subway and bus service at the nearby Port Authority bus terminal.Fire officials said the suspect had burns to his hands and abdomen. The others who were injured suffered ringing in ears and headaches.Elrana Peralta, a customer service worker for Greyhound, said she works in the Port Authority terminal complex near where the bl ...