A man is in custody after detonating a pipebomb in an underground New York City walkway, injuring himself and four others in what police commissioner James O’Neill has deemed a “terror-related incident.”
Akayed Ullah, 27, was detained after an explosive device strapped to his body exploded in a walkway connecting the Times Square and Port Authority subway stations at 7.20am.
New York City Fire Department commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said Ullah had burns to his abdomen and hands. Others nearby also sustained minor injuries.
The explosive device was attached to his body with a series of zip-tie and velcro fastenings. A law enforcement source told CNN that Ullah, a Brooklyn resident from Bangladesh, created the device at his place of work.
Authorities believe Ullah may have planned the attack to be a suicide bombing, and that he said he was motivated by recent Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza region.
The attack comes after U.S. President Donald Trump reversed a decades-long political stance by recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move which has drawn condemnation from across the international community.
Commuters along the busy transit corridor were delayed as trains skipped stops along 42nd Street. Services have since resumed.
An investigation lead by the Joint Terrorism Task Force is underway.
