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New Video Shows 2008 Times Square Bombing, Bike-Riding Suspect
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 18, 2013
Modified Jun 18, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 18, 2013
Modified Jun 18, 2013
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Early in the morning on March 6th, 2008, a bomb exploded outside the military recruiting center in Times Square. While a witness saw a bicyclist leaving the scene and police even managed to find a trashed bike, the case has gone nowhere. So today the FBI and NYPD announced a new $65,000 reward for information leading to the capture and conviction of the suspect(s)—and there's also new surveillance video, photos and a hashtag #bikebomber.
The video shows the suspect on a bicycle from a few angles, as well as footage of the bomb exploding (after the 3:15 mark). There's an image of the ammunition, which the FBI describes as "built using an ammunition can commonly found on the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was filled halfway with black powder and detonated using a time fuse. Although no one was wounded, the device could have caused significant casualties if people had been close to the blast."
Investigators still believe that the bombing may be linked to the 2005 British Consulate bombing and the 2007 Mexican consulate bombing.
Here's the press release:
Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department announced a reward of up to $65,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the suspect or suspects involved in the unsolved 2008 bombing of the United States Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Times Square. Also released today are never-before-seen video of the suspect(s) and a picture of the explosive device. The suspect(s) may be connected to two other unsolved bombings in New York City—one at the British Consulate in 2005 and the other at the Mexican Consulate in 2007.
Early on the morning of Thursday, March 6, 2008, a bomb exploded in New York’s Times Square at the Armed Forces Recruiting Station. The suspect rode a blue Ross bicycle west on 37th Street, took a right up Sixth Avenue, and made a left on 47th Street before turning left down Seventh Avenue. The suspect got off his bike near the recruiting station at West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue, placed the explosive device at the recruiting station, lit a fuse, and fled the scene on the bicycle. Although the suspect appears to be working alone, he or she may have had a lookout or surveillance team of as many as five other individuals in Times Square at the time of the attack. The suspect then rode his or her bike south on Broadway before turning left on 38th Street. The bike was later recovered in a dumpster near Madison Avenue and 38th Street.
The explosive device was built using an ammunition can commonly found on the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was filled halfway with black powder and detonated using a time fuse. Although no one was wounded, the device could have caused significant casualties if people had been close to the blast.
Details of this bombing are similar to those of two other unsolved bombings that occurred in New York City—one at the British Consulate in May 2005 and the other at the Mexican Consulate in October 2007. All of the devices were delivered by an individual on a bicycle and were detonated between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. The incidents may be connected.
“Someone, somewhere knows something about a bomber who’s still on the run,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos. “Today, we’re asking for the public’s assistance in finding those responsible and encouraging the public to look closely at these photos and video, which could be the key to breaking the case.”
“While published reports have repeatedly cited the early morning time of the attack and the lack of casualties, the fact is the bomber narrowly missed killing or injuring passers-by who can be seen clearly in the vicinity moments before the blast,” said New York City Police Department Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. “The distance between polemics by bombing and the murdering of innocents is short, indeed.”
The suspect on the bicycle was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and pants of an unknown color. The height, weight, age, sex, and race of the suspect are unknown.
A reward of up to $65,000 is being offered for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the 2008 bombing of the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station. Any information about the suspect(s), the bicycle, or any other details could be pertinent. Anyone with information on any of the three bombings is encouraged to call the FBI at 212-384-1000. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
The investigation is being counducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Manhattan, which is composed of FBI agents, NYPD detectives, and members of more than 50 local, state, and federal agencies. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is being assisted by prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The FBI and the NYPD will be using the hash tag #BikeBomber to disseminate information about the attacks and to solicit information. The photos and video are also being displayed on digital billboards throughout the northeast, including in Times Square.
Incidentally, U.S. prosecutors have been trying to get a former New School student and Brooklyn resident to testify about the bombing: "[Gerald] Koch wrote that when he refused to testify in 2009 — citing the First, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendments — the government told his lawyers that it believed he had been in a bar in 2008 or 2009 when someone mentioned knowing who was involved in the bombing. Mr. Koch, a former philosophy student at the New School who grew up in Florida, said he did not remember such a conversation."
Tagged
2005 mexican consulate bombing
2007 british consulate bombing
2008 times square bombing
bike bomber
fbi
military recruiting center
nypd
reward
Times Square
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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