It has been 15 years since an unsolved bombing occurred at a military recruitment office in Times Square, and the FBI is concerned that the unknown suspect or suspects could strike again.
On Tuesday, the FBI announced a $250,000 reward for information that leads to the “identification, arrest, and conviction,” of the person or persons responsible for the 2008 attack. The agency is still actively pursuing the suspect[s], as there is no statute of limitations for prosecuting the case.
“We’re definitely concerned that they could do something like this again,” said Robert Kissane, the special agent in charge of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, in an interview with Fox News. “No one should be able should be allowed to get away with setting off an improvised explosive device in New York City, let alone in the center of Times Square.”
The FBI said the bomb was “built using an ammunition can similar to those found on the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan,” and despite there being no injuries, the “device could have caused significant injury and casualties if people had been close to the blast,” Fox 4 KDFW reported.
Surveillance footage of the incident shows that, in the early morning hours of March 6, an unidentified person rode a bicycle to the Armed Forced Recruiting Station on West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue, placed an explosive device, lit the fuse, and then fled on the bike.
The FBI believes the unknown suspect may have been involved in two previous unsolved bombings in New York City: one at the Mexican Consulate in October 2007 and one at the British Consulate in May 2005. In all three incidents, the unknown suspect or suspects used a bicycle to deliver the explosive device between 3-4 a.m.
Michael J. Driscoll, the FBI assistant director in charge, said the FBI is still committed to finding any suspects from the 2008 blast.
“Fifteen years may have passed since the bombing occurred, but the New York [Joint Terrorism Task Force] is unwavering in the pursuit of justice in this case,” said Driscoll. “If you have any information about this incident or those responsible for it, please contact us.”
Kissane hopes the increased reward will prompt someone to give information to the FBI.
“You know, over the course of 15 years, an individual might have had a change of heart in terms of, you know, where they were in 2008 and where they are now in their life and has a better understanding that setting off an IED in Manhattan was an awful thing to do,” said Kissane, per Fox 4.
He also said that other factors could prompt someone to offer new information.
“Additionally, you could have a situation where somebody that knew an individual that was responsible for the attack has had a falling out with that individual or those group of people, and they might have the motivation to provide information on that attack and to receive the money,” Kissane added, per Fox 4.
