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Car Bomb Discovered in New York's Times Square
Aired May 02, 2010 - 02:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG OF NEW YORK: Nine eleven at 06:34 and the vehicle was seen at about 06:28.
Last question. Negative. We have not, I said, we, so far have no witnesses reporting somebody leaving the vehicle, running, walking, going in any other manner and we will check all of the security cameras of which there are a lot and some in office buildings that are closed at the moment. So it will take a few you know through tomorrow to be able to do all that. Perhaps it will show and perhaps it won't.
Last question. The bomb squad was called and in their professional ways, used a robot and used men dressed in bombproof suits and did the job that you would expect them to do. The kind of job that they train for, keeping everybody safe and thank God nothing happened to them as well.
Message to New Yorkers is what we've been saying for an awful long time, terrorists around the world who are, who feel threatened by the freedoms that we have in this country and want to take those freedoms away from us, always focus on the symbol of those freedoms. And that is New York City. And that's why we keep saying to Homeland Security and Congress, Homeland Security funds should come to where there is a threat and when these things invariably, not every time, but most times, come back to New York. But the bottom line is we have the world's greatest police department who focuses on anti-terrorism and intelligence and a public that understands that when you see something, you say something and that's why this city is safe and we should all go about our business tomorrow. The weather is going to be nice and it's a Sunday and people should go and enjoy themselves and just be thankful. This is what we spend our money on. This is why we have all these people who want to work for the world's greatest police department and fire department and office emergency management and they're the ones that are going to keep us safe. And you, there is no more danger here then in any other mayor city. So that's it. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
DAN LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Press conference in New York City just wrapping up. You saw Mayor Michael Bloomberg there also with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly giving that press conference. This is a quote to be taken away from this press conference with the mayor said first. He says "We are very lucky that we avoided what could have been a deadly event", when he described what officers and the bomb squad found in that dark green Nissan Pathfinder. Just to take you through this a little bit, the mayor said 6:30 an alert vendor, an alert street vendor, saw smoke coming from this Pathfinder and alerted a mounted police officer. The police officer saw smoke billowing, billowing from the vehicle, did a quick check, than called other police. They sent in the bomb squad and other officers and then they started evacuating people from that area in Times Square.
Let's go now to Allan Chernoff, who is our senior correspondent. He is very near by in Times Square, New York City listening to that press conference. Allan, the mayor said terrorists around the world who feel threatened by the freedom we have here and want to take it away, they focus on New York City but he said they have the best police department in the world and he believes that they can handle this.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well I can tell you as this press conference has been going on and we've been watching on our camera here right at 45th street in Times Square, indeed two members of the bomb squad wearing protective uniforms have been taking material out of that Pathfinder and right now they've just driven away in a truck. Over the past ten minutes they were taking materials out of that Nissan Pathfinder, putting it into the bomb squad truck and that truck is driving away right now. It's on 7th avenue pulling away. It looks like, actually it looks like they are backing up and they seem to be, looks like they're headed, well in our direction. But nonetheless, the material that has been in that SUV has been taken out now in the bomb squad vehicle and as was mentioned during the press conference, it will now be brought to a facility, often the Bronx where it will be further examined. So that's the situation right here. Times Square remains evacuated. There is still plenty of tourists looking down the street, trying to see what's happening. It's really, frankly, just because of our camera and our lens here that we're able to actually observe what's going on because we're at 8th avenue and most of what's happening has been right near 7th avenue. The far end of 45th street. I should mention also this block, a block packed with theaters, many theaters here and a couple of the shows did have a late curtain this evening but the shows did go on. But right now as I said, that vehicle pulling away with --- from the SUV
LEMON: And Alan, we want you to stand by, Natalie is going to pick this up in just a second but some of the things that may be contained in that vehicle that you are witnessing there, Allan Chernoff, our national correspondent on the scene there in Times Square.
According to the police commissioner, here's what was found inside this car, vehicle. It was an SUV. Three propane tanks, consumer grade fireworks, two fill, two filled five gallon 19 meter gasoline containers and two clocks with batteries, electrical wire and other components. He says a black metal box resembling a gun locker was also recovered and additional surveillance video, they said that they possibly, this vehicle, Natalie, this is very interesting. If this does indeed turn out this could be a really, really big clue in finding out who was in that vehicle. They said [inaudible] though.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: We will talk more about what does it mean what they found in this car with the security experts we have with us in just a moment. Right now we want to go to our CNN Producer, David Puente. He's been there near the scene near Alan as well tonight. David you can give us your perspective form where you are on the situation.
DAVID PUENTE, CNN PRODUCER: I'm just a couple of blocks south of where Alan is and I was just at the press conference with Commissioner Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg. The area near Times Square, as Alan was saying, although still closed off to vehicle traffic and tourists, the side streets right to the left and to the east of Times Square are filled with tourists, regular [inaudible] open. The mayor said that one tower of the hotel here that was still closed right on Times Square will be re-opened shortly and the mayor, certainly striking a cord of business as usual in New York. He was asked if there was suspicions of other possible devices around Manhattan or any other place in New York City. He said that police officers were asked to stay an extra shift and that soon they'll be told that they can go home because they found nothing suspicious in other parts of Manhattan nor on other parts of other borough here in Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, Bronx. Police officers have been on the lookout for anything else and so far the reports are that business should go on as usual. And they even talked about tomorrow being Sunday and that people should do exactly what they vendor did today when he say smoke coming out of that vehicle, the t-shirt vendor here in Times Square, who's been credited for alerting police. That's what the mayor was saying, that New Yorkers should do. That was his message for New Yorkers this evening.
ALLEN: Yes he seemed to want to emphasize that people should go on about their business and that the police have this situation under control. But earlier David, we did speak with someone from a nearby hotel that said that people had been calling her hotel to see if she had rooms. Do you know whether in the immediate area where the evacuations have taken place if people are able to stay in hotels in this immediate area tonight?
PUENTE: Yes I'm looking up at some of the hotels around Times Square right now and there are lights on. You can see people moving in some of the rooms and as the mayor said the one tower of a hotel that is closed is expected to be re-opened. It may even be re-opening already. Because he said that was imminent so that, it really is [inaudible] except for the media that's here and obviously the FBI agents that are still on the scene, New York police and the fire department. As I said that is really in the three block radius that is Times Square but if you step outside what is this square, the [inaudible] search of west where many bars are, where many restaurants are. As I look down the street, it's like a regular Saturday night. People enjoying themselves and tourists around the neighborhood going about their business. And I, as the media moves out Times Square and the vehicle is [inaudible] to the Bronx as Alan was telling us, for further examination, [inaudible] will go back to normal. At least that is what the mayor was indicating what would happen and Commissioner Kelly as well. Natalie.
ALLEN: So indications are that within hours people will be moving about in the areas of, that the evacuation has taken place. PUENTE: Everything that the commissioner and the mayor said leads us to suspect so. Right now still form 43rd street which is where I am right now to where Alan is on 48th street and from 6th avenue to 8th avenue, that's the radius that is still closed. It's closed to traffic and for the most part it is closed to pedestrians as well. But around this circle business as usual, traffic as usual and all indications seem to be that once this vehicle is moved, according to what the mayor said and commissioner of police, that things will go back to normal here in Times Square.
ALLEN: Do we still have Lou Palumbo with us?
PUENTE: Lou are you on the line, Lou Palumbo?
ALLEN: Lou has said earlier he was helping us prior to the news conference, he is a security expert saying that this looked like the real deal and that, that apparently is true because the mayor pointing out the components that were found in this as Don just listed that could have caused a deadly event as the mayor said there in Times Square. And he considers everybody very lucky. And that is indeed the case. I want to point out Don that the mayor has said that the person who first was very alert to this was a former Vietnam Vet and was a t-shirt vendor there on the streets of New York city who pointed out the burning and smoke to a mounted police officer and--
LEMON: I think there were some very good details, Natalie, that were given in this press conference by the mayor and also by the police commissioner. I just want to go through them for our viewers because I think it's important that they know this. Just a very short time ago, the mayor of New York City and the police commissioner came out, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. The mayor started off by saying that we are very lucky we avoided what could have been a deadly event tonight. Then he went on to give detail about exactly what happened 6:30 tonight. And to be specific from the police commissioner this happened, this call, the 911 call came in about 06:34. So around 6:30 tonight an alert t-shirt vendor as Natalie just said, saw a suspicious vehicle, which is a dark green Nissan Pathfinder. Noticed that smoke was coming out of it, alerted a police officer, a mounted police officer.
The mounted police officer, which we're told, Officer Ratigan (ph) on his horse notified the police department. The police department called the fire department and on and on. More police officers, the bomb squad obviously responded and then they noticed that it was a, what they considered to be an explosive device in the car. So they went out that white robot that you have been seeing there. Gas cans, propane, electrical wire, other components, a black gun locker, a gun metal box resembling a gun clocker, batteries, two clocks, all that found inside of this vehicle. They don't know who the car belongs to they say. The plate on the vehicle, according to our Jeanne Meserve and no according to the mayor and the police commissioner, does not match the vehicle. They have spoken to the plate, the owner of the plate who it's registered to at least. The man told them, investigators, that he said that plate, I'm not sure if it was on a vehicle, to the junkyard. They're checking that out. They also have some video tape. Surveillance video from a business. I'm not sure if it was a business or a hotel, Natalie. At 6:24, the police commissioner say that they saw on this video a vehicle travelling west on 45th street that they believe to be a dark green Nissan Pathfinder with tinted windows which matches the Nissan Pathfinder that was parked there and left running with all of that equipment found inside, according to the mayor and the police commissioner.
ALLEN: And of course he encouraged anyone who has information to call 1800-577-TIPS as they try to find out who was driving this green Pathfinder. As you can imagine people are talking about this. We want to check in. Our producers are keeping up with the who's tweeting what and what they are saying via social networking. We have some stories coming into us. I'll read to you now starting out with viewers talking about the terror threat in New York and I'll throw you Ashley Burgess tweet "car bomb found in Times Square in New York City. Another terrorist attack? Come one, seriously there will never be peace." Landed (ph) in Denver tweets, "almost a car bomb in New York. Wow, not again." Gary, Katie in Maryland shares the same feeling, "bomb in Times Square, no I love New York, be careful."
Also we have a picture to show you that we've gotten from Facebook. This is a scene in a hotel. We don't have the name of this hotel. We do know that the Marriott Marquis was evacuated but we don't know where this picture comes form but they had set up beds in the hotels, it looks like perhaps a banquet hall in the hotel in case they needed to take special, a special situation to help people out that might not have a place to stay if they were evacuated and people to come in a find a place if they were evacuated from their hotel.
LEMON: The mayor mentioned those folks in the press conference earlier, Natalie, earlier and he said he was taking care of them and hopefully they would be able to get back to their hotels soon. It was interesting the mayor said, listen, what you should, one of the reporters said what should people do? What should visitors do? What should citizens do? He said go about your daily life as if this didn't happen. Be aware. Be cognizant. If you have information call 911 or call police but go ahead and lead your life and live your life. We have the best police department in the world.
I want to go now to Lou Palumbo who is a long time New York City security expert and also a former police officer. Lou, you heard the police commissioner and the mayor rattle off all of those things, those devices that they found inside of that Nissan Pathfinder. I understand that you called it. What do you make of it?
LOU PALUMBO, NEW YORK CITY SECURITY EXPERT: Well I think we are fortunate is the only words that really applies here. You know, normally our intelligence community has really been up high and tight on anyone attempting to [inaudible] an incident directed at New York City. There is no secret that New York is the number one target of terrorists, number one. I also found it interesting that the mayor took an opportunity to politicize this a little bit by directing the comment to Homeland Security relating directly to the allocation of funds. You know I do understand it's a little bit of a tug of war that goes on between where money goes and where money doesn't and that there was some cities in this country for example that gets substantial amount of allocation for the--
LEMON: Do you really think that the mayor at this point was really thinking that far ahead to politicize this?
PALUMBO: I don't think, you know I think the mayor hit on a very key point here. And it's something that I happen to have been aware of in conversation and dialogue with other individuals. I think that the mayor made a point that mentioning the face that monies need to be directed into New York City because of the fact it is the highest priority target in the country. Yes I do think he took this opportunity and prudently.
LEMON: Yes, and it is not, it is, you said that it's a high target and usually it's the number one target and the mayor said, let's see what he said. Terrorists from around the world, it's interesting that he did say terrorists from around the world. And I don't know if that included home-grown terrorists. If that was some sort of signal as to who they think might be responsible but he said terrorists around the world who feel threatened by the freedoms that we have here and want to take them away, New York City is always number one or always a focus. And I'm paraphrasing here a bit but that is the gist of what he said. Listen to that Lou Palumbo and then you and I and Natalie can talk about it on the other side.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE]
BLOOMBERG: Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have been a very deadly event. I'm going to begin by telling you what we know and what we don't know.
At about 0630 this, last night, an alert t-shirt vendor who is a Vietnam veteran, noticed an unoccupied suspicious vehicle on 45th street just off 7th avenue, a few blocks from where we are standing. He alerted police officer Wayne Ratigan of the NYPD Mounted Unit who was on his horse, Miggs, patrolling Time Square. Officer Ratigan saw the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder, which had smoke emerging from vents near the back seat and he also smelled gun powder. He with the help of police officers assigned to Operation IMPACT (ph) immediately evacuated the area and called for the fire department and more police. Fire fighters, emergency service officers and the bomb squad responded and the bomb squad confirmed that the suspicious vehicle did indeed contain an explosive device. There were gas cans and bomb making materials in the car. The experts at the bomb squad are removing them as we speak. Who abandoned the car and why, are under investigation by the NYPD.
Commissioner Kelly will fill you in on the details but I want to thank the professionals at the NYPD and the FBI as well as the fire department and the Office of Emergency Management for their work tonight. But most of all the alert vendor and Officer Ratigin of the Mounted Unit. You know we often say when a terrorist is often caught, he has a map of New York City in his pocket and that's a conversation I had earlier tonight in Washington. And tonight is a further reminder of the dangers that we face.
(END VIDEOTAPE) LEMON: All right, Lou Palumbo you heard that. That isn't where he talked about being targeted. We'll listen to that in a bit. But again, the mayor recounting what happened with this officer. What happened with this alert, as he calls it, t-shirt vendor and also he did say Lou and you alluded to this earlier as well. He smelled gun powder and so that makes a difference as you said of what type of device, what is found or might be in that truck as to whether or not they send in the robotic arm or whether or not they send in dogs. He also talked about that this officer was on one of those special operations that they've put into place to make sure that New York is safe.
Lou?
PALUMBO: I'm right here, Don. You know Don, what I love you guys to do is to move to (east) where he speaks regarding homeland security, when monies are funded because I think the comments he made are very telling. You know all I can say tonight to you Don, is we were very fortunate because this would have been a very, I'm going to say cataclysmic event, based on the facts that propane tanks were being used. They are very, very deadly and they have tremendous areas of impact on once they detonate.
LEMON: The federal building--
ALLEN: Yes, asked me to compare it to the Murrah Federal Building and give people some perspective on what just, just how deadly this could have been tonight, Lou.
PALUMBO: You know, that's exactly my point. I mean some [inaudible] wrote up in a Ryder truck. Obviously a motor vehicle, a Pathfinder for example, which is a sport utility vehicle is substantial enough inside to carry a considerable amount of explosives and into any area. And I said to you earlier, it's not only in the fact of the detonation but all of them materials in the area that would become secondary projectiles or missiles like glass on the Chase Manhattan Bank which has, by the way cameras. I do want to speak to you very briefly about the individual who owns the license plates to this vehicle. In the state of New York when you surrender your vehicle to a dealer, you sell it to an individual or you bring it to a junkyard, you're required to take those plates and return them to the Department of Motor Vehicle. It's no secret. When you don't do it, there's a substantial and ongoing fine that's instituted.
I'm sure the police right now are looking at this individual who claims he drove this vehicle to a junkyard and left it with license plates, number one. I'm sure their looking at this Vietnam vet to make sure that this was just no coincidence and they're going to find out who did this because part of the problem with the individual who perpetrated this, is simply the fact that they had anticipated that this device was going to detonate and there wouldn't be or it would be more problematic collecting forensics. The fact that the car is intact, the fact that they got the materials secreted in the car to cause the detonation, is going to make it that much easier for them to put all the pieces to the puzzle. As the former director [inaudible] director of the FBI Mr. Puente pointed out, they've canvassed the city and they're going to be on high alert. And the troubling element in all of this is that our intelligence community, which is as good as it gets, didn't have their hand on the pulse of this incident. They normally don't miss a beat. There is no secret that they've thwarted a number of other plots directed towards [inaudible] that it would be curious to find out and we will find out, who drove this. And can I say one other thing to you? This isn't very sophisticated. That's the same way we referred to the individuals who drove planes into the World Trade Center on September 11. Not very sophisticated but it would have had a tremendous amount of impact on the area and death and destruction.
ALLEN: And Lou, how far away, how much time, I'm trying to figure out, they know the car was running, there was smoke coming out, they smelled powder. How critical is the fact that they caught this at this time? How much time did they have perhaps before this exploded?
PALUMBO: You know I'm just going to, again, shoot from the hip and tell you that I think the likelihood of the explosion having been carried out probably wasn't that great based on the fact that it didn't sound particularly sophisticated. When you start resorting to fire works to be, how would you say, the, the igniter with propane, you know I want to be a little more responsible in speaking to that because ladies and gentlemen that are in the bomb squad here, they're at the cutting literally of these type of events. It's hard to project where the window of this detonation would have taken place. I think the fact that the police commissioner alluded to this vehicle possibly being introduced into the Time Square area as many as eight hours ago. You know I'm sure that this was intended to go off way before 11:30, let me put it to you that way because the theaters let out at about 10:00, 10:30 there about, and you know Times Square rocks and rolls until about three, four, five o'clock in them morning. I'm born and raised in New York City and I've travelled these streets frequently in myself socially and working. And I can tell you they were just lucky this evening. That's the only word that applies here. There was good fortune here. Observation as they spoke to by this vendor and the police officer here didn't hesitate to move on this based on what the climate is in this country and in this city today.
LEMON: Hey Lou, real quickly if you can go through this quickly because I have someone holding that has some new information. You brought out a very interesting point that I want to talk about, that you said they are canvassing the city. They said that at the press conference. But even beyond that. This goes far beyond New York City. I'm wondering if it is going to effect lights, are they checking flights of people that are leaving, trains and what have you, people who are exiting New York City and the perimeter around New York City.
PALUMBO: They're looking everywhere and not only are they looking in New York City right now but I'm sure that the capitol, you know Washington D.C., is on high alert as well as other mayor cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. I think everybody's following this story to make sure that we don't have an incident in their city or their district that is something they should have been on. So you know this is going to have, how would you say, a widespread impact. You're right. They are looking for people who possibly would be fleeing the area. The same individual that introduced that vehicle, you have to realize this now, in a certain window of time is going to be in some point in time on camera entering Time Square. Time Square is saturated with cameras. Up and down, in and out of these blocks. They mentioned the fact that this was a stage in front of Chase Manhattan Bank near the [inaudible] theater. You know there are cameras in those bank windows. There's cameras everywhere here and I think they are going to have some very good information along with the fact that they have the vehicle. You know I go back to the '93 World Trade Center bombing where the gentleman so cordially attempted to return the vehicle to get his deposit back. All these things help the investigation. They're on this right now. Hot and heavy is the only way I can put it to you. They're going to be finding numerous, finding, following, I'm sorry, numerous leads. As far as the VIN number goes, if the VIN number or the tag was removed form the windshield, there are numerous places on a vehicle that the VIN number appears including on your engine block. So they are going to know who owned this car. As far as this issue of this individual dropping this car at a
LEMON: The plate I'm told Lou that he sent the, I guess whatever car the plate was on, he said he sent it to a junkyard. Hey Lou can you hold that thought. We want, I appreciate your information. Stand by because I want to get Pamela Hall on here for us. Pamela is a CNNI reporter and Pamela we heard form Lou Palumbo talk about all the cameras in the area and Natalie and let's not forget cell phones, personal video cameras, flip cams, all of that. Pamela Hall is one of those people who took some, an iReport. If we can roll that Pamela talk just about where you were. It appears you were at a McDonalds here, you were going down the stairs and what was happening?
PAMELA HALL, IREPORTER: Well, hi. Yes we were just sitting there eating and looking out at [inaudible] square and noticed that the cops were moving people towards 47th street and putting up a barricade and pushing them towards 47th street. A women came upstairs who had been in the square and she seemed flustered and she said that she had heard noises and people starting running. And they said that it was a gun and she was concerned. So we just waited. We weren't sure what to do. We thought we were safer in McDonalds and we just waited and watched and then we started hearing the cops talking very loudly and telling us that we were to puck up our food and our drinks and we were to leave. And he
LEMON: Are you staying in Times Square?
HALL: Yes I am very close to it. I'm just a few blocks away. I wasn't, I wasn't in one of the hotels so I've noticed that the people when I was going home that people in the Marriott Marquis that's on 45th street, they still can't get in to their hotel so.
DON: So listen, take us back. I just wanted to ask you so that you can make that point about the hotel. So you were in, in the restaurant. They told you to pick up your trays and your belongings and to leave. Where did they direct you to do. Tell us what happened after that. HALL: They told us to go straight to 47th street, to turn to our right and to go to 47th street which we all did. We couldn't help it. They had the barricades funneling us that way. But nobody was frightened. The cops were not upset and the people weren't noticeably upset. We were all just perplexed and the fact that the employees got left at McDonalds, they looked even more confused then we did. So we just went to 47th street and all kept taking pictures and watching.
ALLEN: Thank you.
HALL: We --
ALLEN: Go ahead Pam.
HALL: Hi I was just going to say we really didn't know what was going on. We could see all the lights and we didn't know. We heard car fire. We heard bomb. We heard everything explained but it was, we were made to feel not frightened. I think that's important.
ALLEN: I think that's important that you point out. The mayor certainly was pointing out that the police know what they are doing in these type of situations. I was just reading a report as well that you know, some Broadway shows started late. Some didn't happen at all. One show next to normal as the curtain closed. Police came into the theater, told everyone they had to evacuate a certain way for the same situation as the restaurant there occurred in the theaters in this area. Many people didn't know what was going on or why they were being evacuated as the theater came to a close there tonight. It had to cause a lot of confusion for many people.
But we want to bring you the very latest, as many people are just joining us. It's 3:00 in the morning eastern time. We're broadcasting around the world and the U.S.
This is the big story that we're following in the United States. This -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg saying a suspicious vehicle in Times Square did, indeed, contain an explosive device. Police found the device in a smoking, green sport utility vehicle Saturday evening. It was a green Pathfinder right there in the New York theater district. They cleared the streets of tourists. They dismantled the device. They are still removing a metal box that the mayor described as resembling a gun locker. Much of Times Square was blocked off, several blocks were evacuated.
The mayor spoke at a news conference just moments ago, along with Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. Authorities say the Connecticut license plate on the vehicle doesn't match the vehicle's registration. And police are looking for surveillance video. They're asking people to call in if they have any videos or information, or saw anyone leaving that care. Because the big missing element is who drove that Pathfinder to that spot, left it running and got out, causing this situation --
LEMON: And, Natalie, you better believe this is just the very beginning of this investigation. And CNN has correspondents, producers, photographers on the scene now, getting new information. What about it? Was this an international terrorism event? The mayor sort of eluded to that in his speech tonight. Who knows what is going on tonight. We're getting word from some of our sources that it might be an international terrorism event or they might suspect it to be. So we'll update you on that as we continue along here on CNN.
Natalie talked about the mayor. New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly detailed what was found in the suspicious car. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAYMOND KELLY, NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER: NYPD bomb squad has rendered safe an improvised car bomb discovered earlier this evening inside a dark green Nissan Pathfinder parked on 45th Street and Broadway with its engine running and hazard lights flashing. NYPD bomb technicians have removed and dismantled three propane tanks, consumer-grade fireworks, two five-gallon gasoline containers, filled, and a -- two clocks, along with batteries in each of the clocks, electrical wire and other components stored in the rear of the vehicle. In addition, a two by two by four-foot locked metal box resembling a gun locker has been recovered from the vehicle. The bomb squad is in the processing of rendering it safe. It'll be removed to our range at Rodman's Neck in the Bronx for detonation.
At approximately 6:30 this evening, as the mayor said, NYPD mounted officer was notified by a street vendor of a possible car fire, a smoking vehicle, and went to investigate. After observing white smoke billowing inside and coming out of the rear of the vehicle, he and two impact police officers on patrol in the area began to clear pedestrians from the vicinity while radioing for further assistance. A visual examination of the vehicle by responding agencies, the fire department and police department, revealed suspicious-looking components in the rear of the vehicle.
It has tinted windows and was parked approximately 10 feet from the corner on 45th Street in front of the Bank of America. The Connecticut license plate on the rear of the vehicle does not match the vehicle and investigators are -- have spoken to the individual to whom the plates are registered.
The vehicle is seen at 6:28 p.m. on NYPD surveillance camera traveling west on 45th Street. We're in the process of identifying additional cameras which may have captured images of the vehicle, and more important, people seen driving or leaving the vehicle.
NYPD, FBI and authorities are -- other authorities are actively pursuing all investigative leads.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Ray Kelly just a short while ago. Police evacuated, as we've been saying, businesses in the area, even shutting down a Broadway theater about to begin a performance of "The Lion King." This Pathfinder was parked just in front of "The Lion King" theater. Now, this was the scene at a local McDonald's fast-food restaurant. We just talked to someone who was in that restaurant as police ordered customers to leave. As the customer taking this video reaches the sidewalk, you can see police vehicles blocking off the street to the left, and to the right, a large crowd gathered behind police barricades, right there. Barricades also up along part of the sidewalk.
So on an otherwise typical Saturday night in Times Square turns into quite atypical as tourists find that their plans aren't what they though they were going to be.
LEMON: And it was very interesting because I spoke with Lou Palumbo, the security expert in New York City, about this. What, if anything, the mayor was saying when he said that terrorists around the world, who feel threatened by the freedoms we have here, always target New York City. It's always a focus, leading some to believe was he sort of saying that this was possibly a terrorist event. Too early to tell, according to our sources. And way to early to tell if it was an international terrorism event. But what they do know is that they have a suspicious car with all types of suspicious devices.
I want to go in now -- go to Jeanne Meserve, who is in Pensacola, Florida. Obviously, Jeanne has been covering a horrific event that's happening in the Gulf of Mexico.
But, Jeanne, you heard the mayor's words when he said that. But what you're hearing, too early to tell about any sort of terrorism, especially internationally at this point?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. This is a very early phase of the investigation. And at this point, what I'm told is there's just no indication yet of whether this is something international or whether this is domestic. Clearly, they are going back over -- over all the -- all the intelligence, intercepts, everything else they've accumulated over the past weeks and months. I'm sure they're doing a double check to see if there was anything there that they might have missed. But at this point, I'm told just too early to tell.
I'm also told, by the way, that no change in the federal threat level. That's remaining exactly where it has. This is being viewed right now as something that's happening in New York City.
A Homeland Security official did tell me earlier this evening that, of course, when you have an event like this, you're always suspicious that there could be some sort of follow-on event. The mayor addressed that, saying that they'd scanned out across the boroughs of New York City. They have not found anything suspicious. Similarly, I imagine, cities across the country are looking anything untoward. But we've heard no reports of anything suspicious that's been found anywhere.
ALLEN: Right. And the mayor did point that out earlier that they had held police in longer shifts and doing extra work in the boroughs and had nothing to report as far as any other threats. And what, Jeanne, do you make of what they're saying as far as the components that they found not being extremely sophisticated as far three propane tanks, two gas containers, clocks, electric wire?
LEMON: Amateurish is what they call it, is what the police commissioner called it.
MESERVE: Well, except that I believe that the mayor at one point said the wiring did not look amateurish on this. I'm sure they're going over this with a fine-tooth comb, or will be in the coming hours, trying to get a better fix on exactly what kind of damage this might have done and where these components might have come from.
The things he's cited so far appear to be so mundane, it may be hard to get a fix on where they were purchased. I mean, propane tanks, widely available. Five gallon tanks of gasoline, heck, you can -- at any hardware store. So it'll be interesting to see exactly how much they're able to learn from what they collect from that automobile.
ALLEN: Jeanne --
MESERVE: There's a lot of information available out there in the public domain about how to make an incendiary device. You know, there are things on the Internet. I've been told by one that there have been videos out there about how to use propane tanks and turn them into bombs.
And so, you know, it's -- who knows. It may have been something much less dramatic than international terrorism, but dramatic, nonetheless, even something domestic obviously.
ALLEN: Absolutely. Jeanne Meserve for us. Thank you very much.
We also have our senior correspondent, Allan Chernoff, he's at the scene in New York and he joins us now.
And, Allan, you were saying earlier, you were watching the bomb squad and the police there work that scene and the car. Go ahead.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Actually, even now, you can see some of the flashing lights behind me. There are still police officers going through the vehicle. About 15 minutes ago, the bomb squad officers, wearing protective uniforms, finished going through the SUV. They removed that material that we talked about, the propane tanks, fireworks, gasoline containers and those clocks. They put it into a truck from the bomb squad, which right now is headed up to the bomb squad facility in the Bronx, New York. It's known as Rodman's Neck. That's the name of the facility. So right now, that truck, on its way.
There's still plenty of police officers. Just a few minutes ago, three officers on motorcycles actually drove up onto the sidewalk here, lifted some of this tape. You see we've got tape here and then police tape other there. They drove right underneath and went over to the SUV. But you've still got lots of officers still in the area mixed in with the tourists, who are still observing. And of course, plenty of officers right here trying to move the tourists away.
And as you can see, right now, we've got those officers coming right back and we're being told to move away.
ALLEN: All right, well --
LEMON: And let's see -- let's let this play out a little bit.
Allan, continue to go as long as you can.
Could we get Allan back? Can we hear him please?
Are they having to unplug or do we still have Allan Chernoff there?
So we don't have any audio from Allan.
Again, this is all live, and it's playing out now. And I think it's important we see this, because this is exactly what's happening in New York City right now as our Allan Chernoff, here at 3:11 eastern time on Sunday morning in New York City, as he is reporting from a live event there, a suspicious car with devices found inside. He is being moved back there, what we call the perimeter there, where civilians can go and cannot go, and sometimes the media can't go beyond.
Allan, I'm not sure if you have audio, if we can hear you. It appears that you can hear us. Talk to us about what you're -- still don't have any audio.
Allan, we'll get -- stand by, Allan, because as soon we get it up --
CHERNOFF: I'm still with you.
LEMON: OK. There he is. So, Allan, they're moving you back.
CHERNOFF: Don, can you hear me now?
LEMON: Did they say why? Was that part of them taking the vehicle and the devices to Rodman's Neck? What was that?
CHERNOFF: Those were other vehicles, a whole bunch of police emergency vehicles. Those were essentially the officers who had been combing through the SUV. The SUV remains over there on 45th Street, right near 7th Avenue. But that was about three trucks, also three officers on motorcycles, moving right on through. We were -- we were standing right in the middle of the street. We had to move so that they could get by. But that -- that's what you just saw happening.
ALLEN: And, Allan --
CHERNOFF: And right now, the street is actually quite quiet.
ALLEN: And, Allan, how many blocks -- you say it's still quiet. How many blocks can you tell are still closed to people right now in New York City?
CHERNOFF: It's -- it's still the immediate Times Square area. So I believe we're talking at least from 43rd Street, up to about 47th Street. We're at 8th Avenue, at the intersection of 8th Avenue, so going to 7th and then to 6th Avenue. So that is the heart of Times Square. So that still remains, as you see, closed off. This police tape still keeping people away. And dozens and dozens of police officers trying to prevent -- making sure that nobody does actually go into Times Square, anybody that's not authorized. And that includes the media.
ALLEN: And, Allan -- yes. I'm curious, as you made your way to this spot there tonight, what were you hearing along the way or perhaps on the sidewalk from people talking about what was going on and what was the scene. Because if depends on who you talk to, I guess, if it's a New Yorker or if it's a tourist that's never been to New York, what they thought about the excitement or the fear of what was going on in New York City tonight.
CHERNOFF: Right. Well, of course, almost everybody coming by was asking us exactly what is going on, trying to peak at our camera. It's mainly tourists that you see at this hour, 3:15 in the morning, here in Times Square in New York. Still plenty of tourists on the street, but very curious, wanting to know exactly what's happened. And no fear whatsoever. A lot of fascination with, wow, we're in New York and something big is happening right now. That's essentially what's going on.
LEMON: And guess what, Allan and Natalie, that's probably a good thing. Because we could be reporting the exact opposite, where, you know, there -- there was some type of event and we're reporting the devastating details of that.
But as the mayor indicated earlier, whatever it was that was planned there, at least with this Pathfinder situation, thwarted at this point. You can best believe that police officers, the bomb squad, everyone -- Allan Chernoff, stand point. We'll get back to live.
Allan is reporting live from New York City, very near the scene of this suspicious device that they found on 45th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.
So listen, I want to tell you this, give you some details. It's important to point out what happened here. The mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, also the police commissioner held a press conference. In that press conference, they credited a police officer at the scene for taking steps to clear the streets. The mayor says the city avoided a deadly event. He said we're very lucky tonight that we are not reporting a deadly event. It could have been catastrophic.
He spoke at a new conference in Times Square just a short time ago. Listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, (R), MAYOR OF NEW YORK: Well, good morning. I'm joined by Governor Paterson and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Police Commissioner Kelly, Fire Commissioner Casano (ph), FDNY Chief of Department Ed Coldeff (ph), FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Stephen Buchard (ph), Chief of Department Joe Esposito, Chief of Detectives Phil Polaski (ph), Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence David Cohen (ph), Bomb Squad Commanding Officer Mark Tory (ph), and Officer of Emergency Management Deputy Commissioner, John Schervani (ph).
Before I begin, let me say that we are very lucky. Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have been a very deadly event.
I'm going to begin by telling you what we know and what we don't know. At about 6:30 this -- last night, an alert T-shirt vendor, who is a Vietnam veteran, noticed an unoccupied suspicious vehicle on 45th Street just off 7th Avenue, a few blocks from where we are standing. He alerted Police Officer Wayne Ratigan (ph) of the NYPD Mounted Unit, who was on his horse, Migs (ph), patrolling Times Square. Officer Ratigan (ph) saw the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder, which had smoke emerging from vents near the back seat and he also smelled gun powder.
He, with the help of police officers assigned to Operation Impact, immediately evacuated the area and called for the fire department and more police. Firefighters, emergency service officers and the bomb squad responded. And the bomb squad confirmed that the suspicious vehicle did, indeed, contain an explosive device. There were gas cans and bomb-making materials in the car. The experts at the bomb squad are removing them as we speak.
Who abandoned the car and why are under investigation by the NYPD.
Commissioner Kelly will fill you in on the details, but I wanted to thank the professionals at the NYPD and the FBI, as well as the fire department and the Office of Emergency Management for their work tonight. But most of all, the alert vendor and officer Radigan (ph) of the Mounted Unit. You know, we often say that when a terrorist is caught, he has a map of New York City in his pocket. And that's a conversation I had earlier tonight in Washington. And tonight is a further reminder of the dangers that we face.
Commissioner Kelly?
KELLY: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
NYPD bomb squad has rendered safe an improvised car bomb discovered earlier this evening inside a dark green Nissan Pathfinder parked on 45th Street and Broadway with its engine running and hazard lights flashing. NYPD bomb technicians have removed and dismantled three propane tanks, consumer-grade fireworks, two five-gallon gasoline containers, filled, and a -- two clocks, along with batteries in each of the clocks, electrical wire and other components stored in the rear of the vehicle. In addition, a two by two by four-foot locked metal box resembling a gun locker has been recovered from the vehicle. The bomb squad is in the processing of rendering it safe. It'll be removed to our range at Rodman's Neck in the Bronx for detonation.
At approximately 6:30 this evening, as the mayor said, NYPD mounted officer was notified by a street vendor of a possible car fire, a smoking vehicle, and went to investigate. After observing white smoke billowing inside and coming out of the rear of the vehicle, he and two impact police officers on patrol in the area began to clear pedestrians from the vicinity while radioing for further assistance. A visual examination of the vehicle by responding agencies, the fire department and police department, revealed suspicious-looking components in the rear of the vehicle.
It has tinted windows and was parked approximately 10 feet from the corner on 45th Street in front of the Bank of America. The Connecticut license plate on the rear of the vehicle does not match the vehicle and investigators are -- have spoken to the individual to whom the plates are registered.
The vehicle is seen at 6:28 p.m. on NYPD surveillance camera traveling west on 45th Street. We're in the process of identifying additional cameras which may have captured images of the vehicle, and more important, people seen driving or leaving the vehicle.
NYPD, FBI and authorities are -- other authorities are actively pursuing all investigative leads at this time. And we encourage anyone with information to call our tips hotline. That's 1-800-577- TPS.
From 43rd Street to 48th Street, between 6th and 8th Avenues, are closed at this time to pedestrian and vehicle traffic. We expect that they will be reopened soon. And we certainly appreciate the public's cooperation.
We did evacuate the south tower of the Marriott Hotel. Those people are in the auditorium in the hotel. And we hope to have them get back in their rooms shortly.
Mr. Mayor?
BLOOMBERG: Be happy to a question or two if anybody has any?
Yes?
Speak up. We can barely hear you.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: We have no cameras so far. We are looking at all of the cameras in the area. It will take many hours. So far, we have no reports of anybody running away. Nothing on a camera yet. That doesn't mean there won't be when we look at all the camera. But so far, we do not see anybody running away. We do not know who drove the car or when they left the car.
Sir? UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: It was made up consumer-grade fireworks that you can buy in Pennsylvania and drive into New York. And the wiring was nothing that -- looked amateurish, I think, is a nice ways to phrase it.
Sir?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: We can't hear you.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: What -- we can't hear you. You have to speak up. Sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: That's correct.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: There is no VIN number, nothing. Yes. It's been removed.
Miss?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: We have no idea who did this or why. And until you find out, we can't say anymore than that.
Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: Say again?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: Well, there were three propane tanks and two containers of gasoline and it certainly could have exploded and had a pretty big fire and a decent amount of explosive impact. It depends on how close you were to it at the time.
Anything else?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: Say again?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: We always change our security plans and we're certainly not going to announce them. We have looked around other boroughs tonight just to make sure. We kept the four to midnight tour on duty. And they found nothing suspicious in any other borough. And they'll be sent home very soon.
Yes?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: I just said we asked everybody, all our police officers to keep -- stay on another shift, stay, keep the shift late. They've looked every place and there's nothing suspicious.
This is a city of 8.4 million people. And people should go about their business. If you see something strange, pick up the phone and call 911 and turn it over to the professionals. And that's exactly what happened here. You had a vendor who saw something, thought it was strange, said something to the police officer on his horse. The police officer looked and then the professionals took over. And that's why nothing happened.
Yes, Miss?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: Miss, we have no idea who did this. I said before, we have nothing to go on yet. First thing is to make sure that everybody is safe. Then we'll do our investigation.
Yes, Miss?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: Our staffs were in touch with the White House and the other intelligence agency while Ray and I were on our way back here.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: We'll always look at where it is. There's no evidence that it's tired to the Army recruiting or to Viacom or anything else. It was at an intersection a block north of where were are and you can see what is in the neighborhood.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: Miss, anything is possible. We just don't know.
Yes, Miss?
Last question.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: We know -- the plates, we are told -- we interviewed the person to who -- who had the plates. The person said they sent the trucks that the plates were on to a junk yard. We're trying to identify -- find the owner of the junk yard to see what happened. But there's no reason that person had -- there's no reason to suspect that he had anything to do with it or that his story is false.
Yes, last question.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: I don't -- Ray?
KELLY: Is it in the video?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
KELLY: No, it's -- it's not that clear. We'll try to enhance that picture. But all you see is a vehicle, which we believe it to be. We'll not 100 percent certain. But it's a Nissan, appears to be a green Nissan going across the -- the intersection. It's not at this juncture clear enough to see how many people in the vehicle.
BLOOMBERG: All right, we'll give you the last question
(CROSSTALK)
KELLY: -- between those two.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
KELLY: The -- the call was made to 911 at 6:34. And the vehicle was seen at about 6:28.
BLOOMBERG: All right, last question.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: Negative. We have no -- I said, we, so far, have no witnesses reporting somebody leaving the vehicle, running, walking, going in any other manner. And we will check all of the security cameras, of which there are a lot and some in office buildings that are closed at the moment. So it'll take a few -- you know, through tomorrow to be able to do all that. Perhaps it will show and perhaps it won't.
Last question.
Miss?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: The bomb squad was called and they, in their professional ways, used a robot and used men dressed in bomb-proof suits and did the job that you would expect them to do, the kind of job that they trained for, keeping everybody safe and, thank god, nothing happened to them as well, so.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION).
BLOOMBERG: The message to New Yorkers is that we've been saying for an awful long time, terrorists around the world, who feel threatened by the freedoms that we have in this country and want to take those freedoms away from us, always focus on the symbol of those freedoms, and that is New York City. And that's why we keep saying to Homeland Security and to Congress, Homeland Security funds should come to where there is a threat. And when these things inveritably (ph), not every time, but most times come back to New York.
But the bottom line is we have the world's greatest police department who focuses on anti-terrorism and intelligence, and a public that understands that, when you see something, you say something. And that's why I -- this city is safe. And we should all go about our business. Tomorrow, the weather's going to be nice. It's a Sunday. And people should go and enjoy themselves and just be thankful. This is what we spend our money on. This is why we have all these people who want to work for the world's greatest police department and fire department and Office of Emergency Management. And they're the ones that are going to keep us safe. And you are no -- there's no more danger here than in any other major city. So that's it.
Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The major of New York City just a short time ago, wrapping up a press conference happening in Times Square right across -- square -- right across from the police precinct in Times Square. A couple of people, notables to point out there, as we look at this live pictures. These are live pictures now from the scene, that dark green Nissan Pathfinder, that SUV where those devices were found.
The New York City mayor, again, holding the press conference, as well as the New York City Police Commissioner Ray -- Raymond Kelly, and also the governor of New York you saw there, David Paterson, as well. So it's a very serious situation there.
What you're looking at, our Allan Chernoff has been describing the scene and what he's been seeing or witnessing the bomb squad do. He said some of them, members of the bomb squad, are in these types of protective uniforms and they are going inside of this vehicle and they are pulling out those devices. I would imagine they -- it's considered safe enough for them to get close now. And they are taking them to Rodman's Neck in the Bronx. And that's where they go over these devices. And if they have to detonate some of them, they do that as well.
ALLEN: The last component that they found in the car that the were dismantling and removing was the metal box that resembled a gun locker. That's probably what they were handling there or working on as they continue to secure the area.
We want to go now to CNN's Ed Henry. He is in Washington, D.C., and he can talk to us more about the Obama administration's reaction to this. Of course, this all unfolded while many of the press corps and many in the administration were at the Washington correspondents dinner there in New York City (SIC). That's why the mayor had on his bow tie there. He was coming from that event -- Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): That's right, Natalie. It was actually here in Washington, and the mayor had to leave right afterwards. He had a big party planned after the dinner here in Washington, but instead flew back to New York with the New York City police commissioner, Raymond Kelly, as you've been noting.
You know, President Obama, we're told by White House officials, was briefed about 10:45 Eastern time about where the New York Police Department investigation was. What I'm being told by a federal official who's been briefed on this is that they're letting the New York Police Department take the lead and that at this point, they think -- the federal officials believe it's too early to tell if this was a terror incident involving al Qaeda or any other terror network. They're saying that this investigation really is in the early stages. They don't want to get ahead of it. They don't want to try to connect any dots that may or may not be there yet.
And they're also saying that, basically, based on the preliminary investigation, just the early stages again -- this federal official I spoke to really downplayed the impact of this particular car bomb, saying, quote, "If it was real, it didn't work" because it's clear it didn't detonate as it was planned.
We have heard separately from officials there in New York that they do not believe it was a hoax. They believe it was real. But clearly, it didn't go off as planned. Nevertheless, the investigation has to go forward to see exactly what was planned here, who's behind it, because there are a lot of unanswered questions at this hour, Natalie.
ALLEN: Right. So they're not speculating as far as the components that were in this car and what kind of bomb this -- impact this bomb would have had, had it detonated, what that means as far as who could be behind this, because there's just no way of knowing right now until, perhaps, something shows up on security camera and they get more information.
HENRY: Exactly. And since it's the middle of the night, obviously, they're trying to collect as much information as possible, get any security tape they can. And how the White House is handling it, from what we've been able to piece together, is that the president has his chief homeland security adviser, John Brennan, in almost constant contact with the NYPD and other law enforcement officials. That's the point of contact traditionally in this situation, but specifically, we're told, in this situation, as well. The president has been getting briefed by John Brennan, his chief homeland security adviser, just to stay on top of the situation.
I think, clearly, the White House doesn't want to elevate the situation, doesn't want to turn it into something that it may not be. It may not turn out to be a terror incident, may just be one or two people doing -- doing something, some sort of prank, something bizarre. You know, but by the same token, they don't want to underplay it, either, obviously. They want to make sure that this investigation is done thoroughly.
I remember being in Hawaii with President Obama over the Christmas holiday, and we had the so-called "underwear bomber," and that started out as people thinking it was just firecrackers. And then as the hours passed, it turned out to be a lot more serious investigation that turned out to have ties to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. And so you've got to be really careful about what -- what -- you know, what information you get in the early stages because when you go back to the Christmas Day bombing, in the early stages, it was just some firecrackers, is what people thought. And they didn't think it was -- it was a terror incident, as it turned out it was. And so they want to go through this as thoroughly as possible.
ALLEN: Yes. Absolutely. I was on the air when that happened, and so I do recall, you know, everyone saying it was fireworks, and every -- on the plane, and that everyone seemed surprised as it unfolded to figure out just exactly how serious the situation was. So even though, Ed, they're -- they're -- they seem to be -- the mayor seemed to be emphasized on downplaying this, it remains to be seen just what we're working with here as this unfolds.
The president -- do you expect him to make any statements about this tomorrow? What's -- what's his schedule? What's on the docket...
HENRY: Well, it's interesting...
ALLEN: ... for the president tomorrow?
HENRY: Yes. Good question because originally, the president's schedule was wide open for Sunday. Obviously, it was a late evening at the correspondents dinner, as you mentioned, and he was planning to have a light day. But as it turns out, he's now going to be flying in the early morning to Louisiana in order to get an up-close look and more briefings about that oil spill, a whole separate investigation and serious situation that's unfolding as we speak, as well.
Whether he will make a statement about this now is really an unknown. But certainly, since he's now going to be out and about, making statements, likely, about the oil spill, one would assume that this would come up because he's going to get a lot more briefings about this...
LEMON: Ed...
HENRY: ... certainly in the morning, Don.
LEMON: I would venture to guess. No doubt he will speak about this situation that -- and especially if -- one of the press secretaries has released a statement saying that the president is being kept abreast. I have to say this. If you were a journalist and you needed information on an event like this, Ed, you were in the right place tonight because not only was the mayor of New York City there, the secretary of homeland security was there. HENRY: That's right.
LEMON: The president of the United States was there. Ambassadors were there. Anyone that you needed information from tonight is in Washington, D.C. Of course, the mayor making his way back to New York City very quickly. So I would imagine that there were people there talking and you were getting information.
HENRY: Yes, only little bits of information. It was really just unfolding sort of as the dinner was ending. I will say this. You know, the president left the dinner, even though we've gotten this information that he was briefed around 10:45, which was -- which would have been right around the time that he was leaving the Washington Hilton -- you know, he left in a normal manner. He was not rushing out. He didn't have some serious demeanor. He shook my hand because I'm a member of the board of the White House Correspondents Association, and he complimented the board on a quick (ph) dinner and a -- you know, we gave out scholarships, et cetera. It was normal, is my point. It wasn't -- he wasn't in some hurry.
And Mayor Bloomberg was sitting just near the head table. And again, I did not see him sort of rushing out of the room...
LEMON: Let me tell you why...
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: ... and you'll know. And this is probably one of the main reasons, is that because we say a suspicious device, suspicious packages, and you hear it all the time on the police radios. Especially in any major city, you hear them. They are a daily occurrence. This one turns out to be something that's a bit more elevated than that.
HENRY: Absolutely.
LEMON: But at that point, I would imagine they wanted to cross their T's, dot their I's before...
HENRY: Absolutely.
LEMON: ... they disturbed the mayor and the president...
HENRY: Sure.
LEMON: ... and everyone else that it just wasn't one of those suspicious devices.
HENRY: Exactly. And that's why -- you know, but it's important to note that -- you know, you're right, these kind of things do pop up. This certainly seems much more serious than your average suspicious package. That's why there's so much police on the scene, and we've got our reporters on the scene, and that's why the president was briefed on it and why the mayor -- you know, for him to fly back, it clearly was more than just a run-of-the-mill incident. But you know, it's important to note that they were not rushing from the scene, you know, being told that this was a desperate situation. Instead, it appears that the investigators have been on top of it, and they're just trying to get as much information as they can.
ALLEN: And just one more, Ed. As the dinner was wrapping up, you said people were starting to hear about it. What did it cause there at the correspondents dinner? Was this a main focus of people talking afterwards, or did it generate that much interest? You had...
HENRY: A little bit. And certainly, there was a little bit of buzz because it was just breaking and sort of -- it was the kind of thing where people were picking up their BlackBerrys as they walked out and getting breaking news alerts, since this was happening outside the dinner.
And with officials there, everyone was sort of asking -- I went after the dinner and ran into some White House aides and was sort of asking them, you know, sort of what they knew. And they were just getting preliminary reports from the scene in New York, saying that, you know, they knew the president was -- was, you know, being briefed. But to be honest, they had very little information because it was happening in New York City, not here in Washington. And basically, it was a matter of everybody in the dinner, from reporters to federal officials, trying to get a handle on the situation.
ALLEN: All right. CNN's Ed Henry -- Ed, we thank you very much.
LEMON: Thank you.
HENRY: We know it's been a long night for you. We appreciate your giving us that information.
LEMON: Yes, Ed, get some sleep now because you are going to be a busy man covering this -- being the White House correspondent. Not only will you have to cover the president's visit down to the Gulf Coast, that catastrophic situation playing out there in the waters of the gulf, and of course, that oil very quickly reaching the shore now and affecting businesses and livelihoods, as well. So Ed, you'll be covering that, and you will be talking about this from your vantage point as a White House correspondent, as well.
Natalie, you know, it's certainly been -- it's certainly been interesting over the past couple of hours to watch all of this unfold, and I think it's important to tell our viewers what you're looking at now -- those are live pictures coming from Times Square. That is the bomb squad in the middle of Times Square at 3:40 -- almost 3:40 in the morning Eastern time. And they have been out there all evening.
We just got to the point just a short time ago, maybe an hour or so ago, where they allowed actual officers and members of the squad to approach the car. Before, it had been that robot that you saw.
ALLEN: Yes, absolutely. We had been seeing the shot of that robot with the car for a very long time. This is our first shot that we've gotten in the past 10 or so minutes of the actual car with live pictures, and of course, people working the scene and working the car and removing the components. But we want to bring in now -- we have with us Paula Newton from London. She is CNN's international security correspondent. Paula, you've been listening to all of this unfold, listening to the mayor's comments and what information we have as far as what, perhaps, was planned to happen here on the streets of New York City. No one seems to know, but why don't you weigh in on what you've been hearing and listening to.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, they're early days yet, but certainly, we've learned that even crude explosive devices in cars can certainly do a lot of damage. The one -- the one situation with these kinds of rigs is that they are very difficult to make sure that they actually detonate properly. That's in the first instance. And second of all, as we've already seen, a lot of it happens to be caught on CCTV cameras. So as they, you know, try and comb through exactly how the vehicle was left there, they'll be able to get a lot of clues for their investigation.
You know, Natalie, there was a man convicted-- his name was Dhiren Barot-- here in London of trying to do something similar. Now, he hadn't actually put anything together. They were so-called "aspirational" plans that were found on his computer. And it was called the ``gas limos project.'' And he had (INAUDIBLE) to hit certain targets in New York City, including the New York Stock Exchange and certain prominent headquarters. And again, it was using these gas cylinders.
I remember being in court a couple times and listening to the potential -- the explosive potential of how he would have rigged them, and it was really -- it was quite a dramatic moment in the courtroom in terms of people being told exactly, if they had worked, what would have happened to them.
We also had an incident in 2007, of course, in Britain, where two, again, car bombs left in two abandoned vehicles in London. Thankfully, they did not detonate. People had noticed them. And the two people involved in that attack later tried to car bomb the airport in Glasgow, and both of those gentlemen passed away in trying to execute that.
As I said, again, these are crude devices, very difficult to make sure that they work properly. But if they do, they can cause a lot of damage.
ALLEN: OK, Paula, thanks. I have one more follow-up with you, Paula. The bottom line is that the -- and the mayor has said it -- the bottom line is they're very lucky that this didn't go off. I was wondering if you could elaborate a little more as far as how difficult it would be to pull something off like this. The car's engine was running. The hazard lights were flashing and smoke coming from the back. That's all we know, at this point.
NEWTON: Well, again, you know, if they opt for the kind of tactics that you see in places, of course, like Iraq, where you have a suicide car bomb, that is why you have those incidents because there's a much better chance that they'll be successful. We've been very lucky in both London and New York that that's not what has happened here. And they've tried to have been remotely detonated. These devices they used here in London were -- in 2007, those devices were supposed to be detonated using mobile phones. They did not work. And as the mayor says, it's just lucky.
I think, again, sitting in these court cases and even looking at something as crude -- I mean, if you look at the kinds of things that you use to try and rig these bombs together, they are available. You can find them. So the explosive potential is quite dangerous. I guess it's just, as you said, that we were lucky that again, the device did not work.
ALLEN: Paula Newton for us, our international security correspondent out of London. Paula, thank you very much for your perspective -- Don.
LEMON: Listen, getting some new information coming in. It's coming in from our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve. Jeanne Meserve is down in Pensacola, Florida. She's been covering the tragedy on the Gulf Coast.
Hey, Jeanne, Don Lemon here. Just looking at some of the information that you are sending in regarding the bomb, whether it's rendered safe, and the comparison to another bombing, instruments found there. Can you take us through what you know?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Yes. According to a federal law enforcement course, this bomb has not yet been rendered safe. They've rendered portions of it safe, but this law enforcement source says it could be several more hours before they have it completely taken care of.
I asked this source what he would compare this to, and he compared it to the bomb that was used in the Glasgow airport bombing. You'll remember an individual had a bomb in a car and drove into that airport and (INAUDIBLE) quite an inferno. And so although this -- at this point, what we know of this bomb is, you know, propane and gasoline, it still had the potential to do a fair amount of damage, particularly if there had been large crowds around it. And of course, Times Square on a weekend evening one place where you might, indeed, have found those crowds.
I asked this source some questions about the forensics on this bomb, and he said it's amazing what the scientists can do at this point in time, that they can -- they can drill down onto things like batteries and backpacks, and so forth, and find -- and trace them back and find much more information than on the face of it you'd ever think was possible. He was saying that perhaps, for instance, you might find that propane is mixed in different concentrations by different suppliers, and perhaps that might give you some avenue to follow in your investigation.
Even more useful in the short term, however, those surveillance cameras, which several people have mentioned. Of course, there are surveillance cameras perched all over New York City, some of them owned by the government and operated by the police, but there also are a number of private security cameras stationed around an area like Times Square, even, for instance, on ATM machines and larger businesses. So the police will be making an effort to look at those.
This -- this source also said it may come to the point where they will appeal to the public and say, Were you in this area at this point in time? Were you taking photographs of your friends and family or the scene? Can we look at your photographs? And perhaps they'd be able to glean some sort of clues from what they're seeing in those pictures.
This source says at this point in time, they have not determined what the triggering mechanism on this bomb was. That's something that may give them some sort of unique signature that they'll be able to trace. He also said that on this car -- although the mayor said there was no VIN number, this source says that VIN numbers are printed on multiple places on an automobile and it is likely once this bomb is disabled and they've been able to do a little bit closer look at the automobile, they will be able to turn up a VIN number.
That would allow them to trace at least some of the history of this car. And that, of course, has the potential to lead them down some very interesting avenues, though, as you know, cars often go off the legitimate market and are traded around in -- in illegitimate ways, and that -- those transactions...
LEMON: Hey, Jeanne...
MESERVE: ... might not be traceable.
LEMON: Hey, Jeanne, I want to read this statement. It is from the governor of New York and -- New York state, David Paterson. And he is saying, "Tonight we owe an incredible debt of gratitude to the heroic actions of the New York City Police Department and to a single vigilant New Yorker who identified a suspicious vehicle near Times Square in New York City. Luckily, no one is hurt, and now the full attention of the city, state and federal law enforcement will be turned to bringing the guilty party" -- and Jeanne, this is the part I want you to hear -- "bringing the guilty party to justice in this act of terrorism."
MESERVE: I'll tell you one of the things that strikes me about this event is that over and over and over again, we have heard Homeland Security officials and other federal officials say it's up to individual citizens to police against terrorism. Everybody is aware of their environment, what's normal, what's not normal. And it's up to people to look around them, keep their eyes open, and when they see something, to report it. And that is exactly what happened in this case, the mayor's -- as the mayor indicated, that here was a vendor, a street vendor who saw a vehicle apparently where he didn't expect to see one. He notified the police. The police came in, and this potential catastrophe, was avoided. And that's one of the takeaways from this, I think, that...
LEMON: Hey, Jeanne...
MESERVE: Yes? LEMON: The reason I say that is because, you know, according to your sources, you said at this point, they can't determine whether it was an international act of terrorism or exactly what it is. Everyone is saying it's terrorism. Obviously, if someone is threatening to blow up something, it is an act of terrorism.
But the reason I asked you that is because the mayor alluded to international terrorism. Now the governor is saying terrorism. Your sources are saying too early with all of this.
MESERVE: Well, I think it may fall within the category of terrorism, but -- but the -- the people I'm talking to are just saying it's just too early to say whether it's domestic or international. At this point, according to the officials I've talked to, there have been no claims of responsibility here. According to the officials I've talked to, they are unaware of anything in the intelligence which would have -- that they've been going back and looking at, which would have indicated that this event was about to occur. So they're simply saying it's too early to say whether it's international or whether it's domestic.
But I think that (INAUDIBLE) have somebody putting a bomb in Times Square, probably that falls broadly within the rubric of terrorism, yes.
LEMON: Absolutely.
ALLEN: All right, Jeanne, thanks very much. You mentioned that the VIN number wasn't apparent. We were talking with a security expert, Don, a little while ago, that that VIN number is in different parts of the car, even on the engine. So perhaps that's what they're looking at, as well, too, as they continue to work the scene there.
Allan Chernoff is at the scene for us, our senior correspondent there in New York City. He's been there for some time, and we've just learned, Allan, from Jeanne Meserve that they expect they'll be working with this Nissan Pathfinder for several hours yet. What are you continuing to see there?
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Right. Well, what we have are still some police officers going through the vehicle. Some of them are wearing protective uniforms, but I should note these are not the same uniforms, not the same bomb protection uniform that we saw about an hour ago. That was -- that was when we had folks actually wearing the helmet, the full protective gear, apparently taking out the -- the items that were of concern, the propane tanks, the fireworks, the wiring. That truck pulled away and, we believe, brought everything up to the Bronx. It's probably still en route.
Now you see still some people milling about the vehicle. We believe that in front of the vehicle, there is a tow truck. So at some point, we expect that vehicle, of course, will be taken away, and then they can open up the streets, open up Times Square once again. Certainly, by the morning, we would anticipate that.
ALLEN: Right. And Allan, just -- just to show that New York always -- life goes on, as you were talking, a vendor was pushing a food cart across the live picture there we have. If he's closing up for the night or preparing for tomorrow, but...
LEMON: Oh, he's getting ready for the early birds, breakfast in the morning, or either they have told him to come in there and move his cart so that they can, you know, secure -- keep that area secure. There are people who have livelihoods. You know, the economy is not great in most cities around the country, and even in a city as big as New York City. So you know, businesses are closed in the area. But that guy getting his cart, putting it into place, getting ready to go about business, as the mayor, Mayor Bloomberg said.
Hey, Allan Chernoff, I want to ask you this. Take us behind the scenes there. Tell us what's going on. I would imagine the area is just swamped with media, not many people, not many tourists probably out and about, I imagine some gawkers, some folks who are looking. But tell us what's going on around you.
CHERNOFF: Well, Don, actually, I have to tell you, we -- we seem to be the last camera out. A lot of members of the media have left, and it's essentially us, a few -- a few folks with still cameras still around. But in terms of television, we're pretty much it. And I don't believe anybody in the New York area's getting another live picture like the one that you're seeing right now on CNN.
In terms of cameras, let's also talk about that for a second because Jeanne was discussing that issue, and that is very, very important. There are dozens and dozens of cameras throughout Times Square. I'm actually looking at one right here on the corner of 45th and 8th Avenue. Some of these cameras are used by the police to catch people who are breaking through red lights. So they use those cameras to send out traffic tickets.
But right now, we've got somebody coming right by, actually one of those vendors, right near our camera here. So I'm not sure if they're going to block our shot, but at the moment, that's what we're seeing right here. But those cameras could play a critical role in this investigation because the vehicle was seen at 6:28 PM on one of those cameras. The call came in at 6:34. Likely some other cameras in this vicinity also -- also saw that -- that vehicle, as well.
ALLEN: As we've been talking -- and we appreciate you bringing us the live picture -- we've watched another investigator there right next to the car suit up, apparent that they are still very much taking precaution as they work around this green Nissan Pathfinder to make sure they have dismantled everything that was in this vehicle there tonight, Allan. So we appreciate it.
It's been very interesting to hear the different comments from people who were in the area, Allan, the tourists. Maybe you can bring us more stories that you heard, but I was just reading and -- about the evacuation. People in the hotels there weren't sure if they were going to be able to stay in their hotel, police even entering theaters when this -- the curtain closed on shows tonight, saying -- making an announcement that people would need to evacuate to a certain area, and they didn't know what was going on. CHERNOFF: That's right. Well, there wasn't a tremendous, tremendous concern at the very beginning. Otherwise, you would have had those theaters actually evacuated. Some shows did start late, and the shows went on. And as soon as the curtain came down, police officers came right into the theaters and evacuated the people watching the show. And that is what happened throughout Times Square.
So the police checked out the vehicle. They had the robot -- the robot go in, look at what was inside. So it was -- it was a gradual effort. But there still are -- of course, there are tourists in Times Square at all hours, and you know, observers are -- some -- some of them -- you know, in -- New Yorkers would say, Look, there are a lot of freaks in this area...
LEMON: You know what...
CHERNOFF: ... and I can tell you at this hour, that is -- that is the case.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Come on!
(CROSSTALK)
CHERNOFF: That's -- that's New York.
LEMON: You're a New Yorker. I've lived there. I'm a former New Yorker. You've lived and worked in New York, as well. Can you imagine you're at a Broadway play or you're at some restaurant and Times Square in the middle of New York City, and you get a police officer to come in and say, Everyone clear the building, get out? Can you imagine what goes through your mind and your heart starts to race? That's serious stuff.
ALLEN: Yes. I'm sure many people would think terrorism, being in New York City. That's the unfortunate thought that goes through people's minds.
LEMON: Allan, you want to weigh in on that?
CHERNOFF: Well, yes, well, absolutely. You know, especially after 9/11. One of the first stops that many tourists come to is Ground Zero. And when people come to New York, they know anything can happen. You know, New York is certainly known as an exciting city, and I think tourists come here for -- for excitement, obviously, not expecting a terror threat, not expecting to actually witness a potential bomb threat. But nonetheless, there is that -- that fascination that people from around the world have with New York, and I think this is just going to be one of those amazing stories that the tourists will bring home and will never forget.
LEMON: Hey, Natalie, before you -- I know you want to ask a question, but can we put this up? Because I think it's important that we do a public service here and we also do what the New York City Police Department asks -- I should say the mayor and the police department, the police commissioner, Ray Kelly -- the phone number to call. If you have seen anything, if you know anything, if you have pictures, if you have video, 1-800-577-TIPS -- 1-800-577-TIPS for any information on this. And the police commissioner made that quite clear, said it a number of times. So I wanted to get that in there because I think it's important because you never now where the information might come from.
ALLEN: Yes. Absolutely. And Allan, being there in New York, I'm -- I'm sure it looks quite eerie to see such a popular area cordoned off and very quiet. And there were still pictures of Times Square and that -- that one area where everyone sits in the middle there before they go to a show absolutely empty of people.
So there's a very good chance, isn't there, Allan, with all of the -- the devices that people have and the security cameras, as we've been saying, in this area that they'll be able to start putting the pieces of this puzzle together quite quickly, sooner than later, perhaps.
CHERNOFF: Right. In terms of putting the pieces of this puzzle together -- we mentioned the camera. Another important lead here is going to be the owner of a junkyard. Why? Well, the police have said that the Connecticut license plate on this SUV, on this Nissan Pathfinder, actually do not belong to the vehicle. The owner of these plates told the police that he actually brought his vehicle to a junkyard. And so now the police are trying to locate the owner of that junkyard. They will be talking to that person. And perhaps, just perhaps, that owner of the junkyard can identify the person who picked up those plates, and that may be a very, very important lead in this case. Could break the case, who knows.
LEMON: There's that number on the bottom of the screen there that we mentioned, 1-800-577-TIPS. And Allan, let's -- you know, we want to talk a bit about that videotape, as well, that the police commissioner talked about that they saw. He said it was a bit blurred. They have to enhance it. But it appears to be the vehicle that's from this incident, a Nissan Pathfinder, tinted windows. So they're looking at that, as well.
CHERNOFF: Yes, they are, absolutely, and hoping to find more pictures of the vehicle, and of course, hoping to find pictures of somebody actually emerging from the vehicle. We did hear the mayor and the police chief say that there were -- there were no reports of anybody running from the vehicle, so it seems, you know, somebody parked it, got out and left very calmly.
LEMON: So Allan Chernoff is standing by now live in Times Square. Allan, I see that you have some police officers around you. I think that they are moving some vehicles through here. So it is a perfect time here on CNN -- we're talking to our national correspondent, Allan Chernoff -- the perfect time to update our viewers on the story.
I'm Don Lemon at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, along with Natalie Allen. We are following breaking news here on CNN. Here's what we know. A terrorist attack or something else? Officials in New York say it is too early to tell. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg says a suspicious vehicle in Times Square did contain an explosive device. The mayor says the city was fortunate to avoid a deadly bomb attack. Police found the device in a smoking sport-utility vehicle Saturday evening, just last night, in New York City's theater district.
Police cleared the area and dismantled the device. It's being taken to different places, taken to a place in the Bronx to be looked at. Much of the area near Times Square, we should tell you, blocked off even now. The mayor appeared at a news conference with police commissioner Raymond Kelly and other state and federal officials earlier this morning, I should say. It really was this morning and not last night.
Authorities say a license plate on the vehicle did not match the vehicle's registration. Police are looking for additional surveillance video. Meanwhile, the device is being removed from the vehicle and will be taken to another part of the city, as we said, and it will be disabled and dismantled, Natalie.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: And it is after 4:00 AM on a Sunday morning, and Allan Chernoff has been with us on Times Square right now, and he's had the latest for us. And I think, Allan, if people are just waking up or tuning in, you can -- you can maybe help us -- bring us the timeline for how this all got -- got started this evening in New York City, and when the mayor finally held a news conference and announced to everyone that we were very lucky this, indeed, was the components of a bomb in this car -- Allan. Allan, are you with us?
LEMON: Yes, I'm not sure Allan can hear us. We can hear -- yes, we can hear his camera there. But again, you know, we have been covering this for quite some time now, so we can talk about what's going on here. You're looking at these live pictures, and this is the bomb squad. You see the bomb squad, those men in uniform. They have protective clothing that our Allan Chernoff has been telling us about, going in to get that -- those devices out.
ALLEN: And we were told that it will probably be several more hours that they'll be working there at the scene with this car, and they'll continue to keep the area cordoned off.
As I mentioned, the mayor spoke, gosh, about an hour-and-a-half or two hours ago, coming straight from the Washington correspondents dinner in Washington, D.C. And he started the whole news conference saying about New York City, "We are very lucky." So we'll play a portion of the news conference from the mayor and the police commissioner, Ray Kelly, a short while ago. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: Well, good morning. I'm joined by Governor Paterson and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Police Commissioner Kelly, Fire Commissioner Cassano, FDNY Chief of Department Ed (INAUDIBLE) FBI assistant special agent-in-charge Stephen Buccar (ph), chief of department Joe Esposito (ph), chief of detectives Phil Pulaski (ph), deputy commissioner of intelligence (INAUDIBLE) Cohen, bomb squad commanding officer Mark Torre (ph) and Office of Emergency Management deputy commissioner John Scurvani (ph).
Before I begin, let me say that we are very lucky. Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have been a very deadly event.
I'm going to begin by telling you what we know and what we don't know. At about 6:30 just last night, an alert T-shirt vendor who is a Vietnam veteran noticed an unoccupied suspicious vehicle on 45th Street just off 7th Avenue, a few blocks from where we are standing. He alerted police officer Wayne Rhatigan of the NYPD mounted unit, who was on his horse, Migs, patrolling Times Square. Officer Ratigan saw the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder, which had smoke emerging from vents near the back seat, and he also smelled gunpowder.
He, with the help of police officers assigned to Operation Impact, immediately evacuated the area and called for the fire department and more police. Firefighters, emergency service officers and the bomb squad responded, and the bomb squad confirmed that the suspicious vehicle did, indeed, contain an explosive device. There were gas cans and bomb-making materials in the car. The experts at the bomb squad are removing them as we speak.
Who abandoned the car and why are under investigation by the NYPD. Commissioner Kelly will fill you in on the details, but I want to thank the professionals at the NYPD and the FBI, as well as the Fire Department and the Office of Emergency Management, for their work tonight, but most of all, the alert vendor and Officer Ratigan of the mounted unit.
You know, we often say that when a terrorist is caught, he has a map of New York City in his pocket, and that's a conversation I had earlier tonight in Washington. And tonight is a further reminder of the dangers that we face.
Commissioner Kelly?
RAYMOND KELLY, NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. NYPD bomb squad has rendered safe an improvised car bomb discovered earlier this evening inside a dark green Nissan Pathfinder parked on 45th Street and Broadway with its engine running and hazard lights flashing. NYPD bomb technicians have removed and dismantled three propane tanks, consumer grade fireworks, two five-gallon gasoline cans filled, and a -- two clocks, along with batteries in each of the clocks, electrical wire and other components stored in the rear of the vehicle.
In addition, a two-by-two-by-four-foot black metal box resembling a gun locker has been recovered from the vehicle. The bomb squad is in the process of rendering it safe. It will be removed to our range at Rodman's (ph) Neck in the Bronx for detonation.
At approximately 6:30 this evening, as the mayor said, an NYPD mounted officer was notified by a street vendor of a possible car fire, smoking vehicle, and went to investigate. After observing white smoke billowing inside and coming out of the rear of the vehicle, he and two Impact police officers on patrol in the area began to clear pedestrians from the vicinity while radioing for further assistance.
Visual examination of the vehicle by responding agencies, the Fire Department and Police Department, revealed suspicious-looking components in the rear of the vehicle. It has tinted windows and was parked approximately 10 feet from the corner on 45th Street in front of the Bank of America. The Connecticut license plate on the rear of the vehicle does not match the vehicle, and investigators are -- have spoken to the individual to whom the plates are registered.
The vehicle is seen at 6:28 PM on NYPD surveillance camera traveling west on 45th Street. Now, we're in the process of identifying additional cameras which may have captured images of the vehicle, and more important, people seen driving or leaving the vehicle. NYPD, FBI and authorities are -- other authorities are actively pursuing all investigative leads at this time, and we encourage anyone with information to call our tips hotline. That's 1- 800-577-TIPS.
From 43rd Street to 48th Street between 6th and 8th Avenues are closed at this time to pedestrian and vehicle traffic. We expect that they will be reopened soon, and we certainly appreciate the public's cooperation. We did evacuate the south tower of the Marriott Hotel. Those people are in the auditorium in the hotel, and we hope to have them get back in their rooms shortly. Mr. Mayor?
BLOOMBERG: Be happy to take a question or two, if anybody has any. Yes?
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: Speak up. I can barely hear you.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: We have no cameras so far. We are looking at all of the cameras in the area. It will take many hours. So far, we have no reports of anybody running away. Nothing on a camera yet. That doesn't mean there won't be when we look at all the cameras, but so far, we do not see anybody running away. We do not know who drove the car or when they left the car. Sir?
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) can you explain that a little (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: It was made up of consumer grade fireworks that you can buy in Pennsylvania and drive into New York. And the wiring was nothing that -- it looked amateurish, I think is a nice way to phrase it. Sir?
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: We can't hear you.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: What -- we can't hear you. You have to speak up. Sorry.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: That's correct.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) no VIN number.
BLOOMBERG: There is no VIN number. Nothing. Yes. It's been removed. Miss?
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: We have no idea who did this or why. And until you find out, we can't say anymore than that. Yes, sir?
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: Say again?
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
BLOOMBERG: Well, there were three propane tanks and two containers of gasoline, and it certainly could have exploded and had a pretty big fire and a decent amount of...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And you're listening to a press conferences in Times Square not long ago with the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. Also weighing in there, the police commissioner, Raymond Kelly.
I want to get to our Allan Chernoff now, who is down in Times Square at the scene. Allan Chernoff has an eyewitness with him. Allan, take it away. What is he -- what is this gentleman telling us?
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. Don, I'm with Ralles Jampookis (ph), and he is a hot dog vendor. He actually has his regular spot in Times Square, been there for years. He witnessed exactly what happened.
Now, Ralles, you say there actually was an explosion inside of this vehicle.
RALLES JAMPOOKIS, EYEWITNESS: Correct. There was.
CHERNOFF: Tell me exactly what you saw.
JAMPOOKIS: Well, what we saw was -- after we noticed the vehicle, that it was abandoned there, and that's the word (ph) that was out there, that, you know, hazards were on, it was just sitting there, and...
CHERNOFF: The hazard lights were on.
JAMPOOKIS: They were on. They were on. And you could see the smoke coming out. There was no front plate on the car. And then...
CHERNOFF: There was white smoke in the vehicle and emerging from the vehicle, as well. Prior to the explosion?
JAMPOOKIS: Yes. Definitely.
CHERNOFF: What did you see? What'd you hear?
JAMPOOKIS: Well, we basically saw the smoke, and then as the police officers, you know, figured it out, what was going on -- they couldn't really tell what was inside.
CHERNOFF: But you heard an explosion.
JAMPOOKIS: Correct.
CHERNOFF: How loud?
JAMPOOKIS: It was -- it was loud. I mean, you could hear it. I mean, it was loud.
CHERNOFF: So everyone on the street would have heard that explosion?
JAMPOOKIS: Probably blocks away, a couple blocks...
CHERNOFF: Blocks away?
JAMPOOKIS: Maybe a couple blocks away because, you know, people started running all over the place and just, you know, scared. The don't know what's -- you know, panic.
CHERNOFF: Now, the mayor and the police chief said that a T- shirt vendor actually contacted a mounted police officer to tell him what was going on.
JAMPOOKIS: That's right. That's exactly what happened. And I actually saw him at the time. We were both looking at the car at the same time, and he went to the police officers. He got a chance to get to them before I did.
CHERNOFF: So tell me, what did you think when you -- you saw that smoke and then...
JAMPOOKIS: Well, you just don't think. I mean, you don't know what to think. I mean, it was directly on top of a Con Edison -- you know, you don't know if it's steam coming out from the bottom. You know, you...
CHERNOFF: On top of a manhole. JAMPOOKIS: That's right. It was on top of a manhole. And you know, you don't know what to think. Maybe somebody left it there, you know, going to get help. You know, maybe, you know, overheating or something. Who knows, you know? But you know, kind of got a little serious there when the police started, you know, telling everybody to go. But it was just, like, boom (INAUDIBLE)
CHERNOFF: Now, did you -- did you notice the person who actually drove that vehicle up and parked it?
JAMPOOKIS: I did not. I -- I did not, no.
CHERNOFF: But you did notice the smoke in the vehicle how much later? How much time elapsed between noticing the smoke and the explosion?
JAMPOOKIS: Oh, you figure it's about -- we noticed the smoke, and then maybe six, seven, eight (INAUDIBLE) minutes, just exploded.
CHERNOFF: And to be sure we understand, were the police actually already there when the explosion occurred?
JAMPOOKIS: They were there. At that point, there was a lot of police officers there. And they were at the time moving people back. (INAUDIBLE) you know, I work there, and you know, I'm right in front of my hot dog cart. I just happened to be looking right at the car when it just went off. It just exploded. And I saw the fire and inside the car -- I mean, I didn't -- you don't know what to think. I -- there's no window shattered, I mean, nothing like that. It was just where you could feel -- you could hear it and you could feel it, you know?
CHERNOFF: So it was a loud explosion, but not powerful enough to do any serious damage to the vehicle.
JAMPOOKIS: Not that one, no. I mean, you don't know if there's another one coming after that. You don't know what to think after that. And that's when all the panic set in and everybody just started scattering.
CHERNOFF: Now, you used that word "panic." Was there really panic?
JAMPOOKIS: Oh, there was. You know, people were scared. People, you know, panicked and started running, you know? (INAUDIBLE) I -- you know, I started running, too. I mean, you know, I'm not going to stand there. Everybody started taking off. The police were just yelling at everybody to go and back up and back up and...
CHERNOFF: Now, you've been -- you've been in Times Square for years. How many years?
JAMPOOKIS: Oh, I've been helping my dad here since I was 17 years old. I'm 37.
CHERNOFF: Twenty years you've been on that corner in Times Square.
JAMPOOKIS: (INAUDIBLE) years a licensed vendor, born in Hell's Kitchen and lived here all my life.
CHERNOFF: A few blocks away. And you ever experience -- I mean, I'm sure you've seen almost everything in Times Square.
JAMPOOKIS: (INAUDIBLE) you see a lot of things, but nothing like this. You know, you hope never to see this stuff again, you know?
CHERNOFF: And now for the past, what, six, seven hours, even longer, you've just been kept in Times Square.
JAMPOOKIS: Oh, definitely. I mean, I chose to stay here on my own. I mean, I'm going to have to retrieve my property, my cart. I'm not going to leave it there, you know? I mean...
CHERNOFF: Ralles, thank you very much. OK. I'm sure your information can be helpful to the officers.
JAMPOOKIS: (INAUDIBLE)
CHERNOFF: OK. Don, eyewitness -- he pretty much saw everything that happened. Back to you.
LEMON: Yes. And that sums it up. And we talked about Natalie and I and you, Allan, were talking about the vendor that went through the screen as we saw the bomb squad there on the scene, you know, and then we see the vendor come through. (INAUDIBLE) people are getting ready. They have to earn a living there. And that man says he wants to retrieve his property so life can go on as normal as it can go on for him, Natalie.
ALLEN: And he's been there 20 years, working at -- and he's just experienced this. And that was the first that we've heard from an eyewitness who tells us that there was an actual explosion following the smoke. So there's much more that's going to come out of the people that were right there, witnesses. There were tourists that were evacuated that didn't really see what was going on, and there were people like him and people working that did witness something that was quite scary.
LEMON: And as we said, this is just the beginning of this, the investigation, and really just the beginning of CNN's coverage here. I have to tell you, it's been a pleasure working with you, Natalie Allen. Thank you so much.
We're going to send it over to our domestic desk, back where I usually sit, and my colleague, T.J. Holmes, will take over from here. Good morning to you, T.J. Take it away, sir.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning to you, Don and Natalie. Thank you both. And good morning to everyone here and good morning to our viewers around the world and the United States. It's a busy morning here, 4:15 in the morning Eastern time here in Atlanta, Georgia, where I sit, our world headquarters of CNN, where we're keeping an eye on a situation involving one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, in fact, the most popular in the United States, where a car bomb has been found, in New York's Times Square.
You're looking at video now. We've been keeping an eye on this situation now for the past almost 12 hours, but 10-plus hours we're (ph) sure now where (ph) we'll tell you what we know now. A bomb was found or bomb-making materials, I should say, around 6:34 Eastern time last evening. A vendor, a street vendor, a T-shirt vendor in Times Square -- there are plenty of vendors out there, but one happened to spot some smoke coming from an SUV. It's a green Nissan Pathfinder. You're seeing video of that vehicle being checked out from last night on Times Square -- saw smoke coming from it, and he then alerted -- alerted a police officer of what he saw.
That police officer then called it in, and in fact, Times Square and the busy theater district had to be evacuated. Some shows did go on on Broadway. However, others did not. Police literally went into theaters, telling people to get out. But the iconic, the popular tourist destination of Times Square had to be shut down for a time.
Here now a live picture where this thing continues this morning. They continue to check out this vehicle. We're told, for the most part, whatever was in this car has been rendered safe at this point, but still those materials being taken elsewhere to be checked out.
Now, what was in this vehicle? According to the mayor, three propane tanks, two five-gallon tanks of gasoline, a couple of clocks, electrical wires, batteries, as well, everything in there that could possibly be needed to make a bomb. And in fact, they called this bomb-making material. The mayor says no idea who did this or why. No one is in custody. There is no suspect description, at least at this point, that the police have put out.
It appears to be a car bomb, is what the mayor said. And they're saying that a major tragedy was averted after these explosive materials were found. Many people are familiar with these iconic images and the bright lights, quite frankly, of Times Square. New York has 47-plus, maybe 50 million visitors that go to that city every single year, and about 80 percent of them make a stop in Times Square. They see about 40 million visitors every single year. And no matter what time of day or night, it is -- Times Square is a busy, bustling place.
That is what it looks like right now. It is not busy right now. It is quiet. It is, quite frankly, a ghost town, other than a lot of police vehicles. People are -- the people who are there now trying to render the area safe. No clear idea of exactly when it might be opened 100 percent again to foot traffic, to pedestrians, to visitors who come to this place every single year. And again, this is a busy place 24/7. Even in the wee hours of the morning, like it is right now, you would see people up and down the streets of New York City's Times Square.
Now, in particular, this bomb was found on 45th Street, between 7th and 8th. This was a Nissan Pathfinder, a green vehicle with tinted windows. And again, a man saw smoke coming from it. Again, he's being -- a Vietnam veteran, we're told, but this is a T-shirt vendor who just alerted police. He was the first one who saw it. Oftentimes, Homeland Security says, the first line of defense has to be citizens who take -- who take it upon themselves to be vigilant and notice things suspicious and bring it to the police -- police's attention, and that's exactly what happened in this case.
We do want to let you know that right now, some officials are actually saying not sure just yet whether or not this is an -- this is a clear indication that there is international terrorism involved. We don't know yet if there is some kind of a connection to al Qaeda or another terror network.
However, the same time, we've got a statement from the governor of New York, Governor Paterson, who in the last line -- I'll just skip right to the last line of his statement saying, "State and federal law enforcement will be turned to bringing the guilty party to justice in this act of terrorism." He specifically uses the word "terrorism" in his statement.
We do have it up. I'll go ahead and show you the whole thing here, but this is from Governor Paterson, his statement saying, "Tonight we owe an incredible debt of gratitude to the heroic actions of the New York City Police department and to a single vigilant New Yorker who identified a suspicious vehicle near Times Square in New York City. Luckily, no one is hurt, and now the full attention of city, state and federal law enforcement will be turned to bringing the guilty party to justice in this act of terrorism."
Again, some saying right now still too early to know exactly what this is about. Sure, it was a suspicious vehicle. Sure, there were bomb-making materials in there. But not sure yet if this is connected to some international terror group or, quite frankly, we have seen in this country, unfortunately, before acts of domestic terrorism, as well. But still, the investigation -- we're told numerous leads are being followed right now.
But the headline for you all right now, for those of you watching us here in the U.S. and around the world, that, in fact, the most popular tourist destination in the United States possibly the target of terrorism after the mayor, after the police commissioner come out and say that bomb-making materials were found inside a car that was left at Times Square.
Take a listen to the mayor, Michael Bloomberg, just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLOOMBERG: It was made up of consumer grade fireworks that you can buy in Pennsylvania and drive into New York. And the wiring was nothing that -- it looked amateurish, I think is a nice way to phrase it.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: And you hear the mayor there, the way he put it. This didn't look like something just thrown together by an amateur, didn't (SIC) look amateurish. And another quote he gave us is that it certainly could have exploded and caused a pretty big fire and decent amount of explosive impact.
So again, the headline here is that, in fact, Times Square -- you're seeing a live picture of it there -- Times Square usually a busy, bustling place, no matter what time of day or night, right now is a ghost town just filled with federal officials, with local officials, police and other authorities who are right now trying to check out exactly what happened and what possibly was on someone's mind who left a vehicle in Times Square on 45th, between 7th and 8th, with bomb-making materials in that vehicle.
Important also to note about this car. It was a Nissan Pathfinder, a green one with tinted windows. We're told the tags on the vehicle did not match the actual vehicle. Police did go back and track down those tags. Those tags belong to another man. They talked to that man, who said he actually took a vehicle to a dump yard, actually just dropped it off at a junkyard. And apparently, the tags were left with that, according to this man. So the tags did not match the vehicle there in Times Square.
Police now believe they did spot this vehicle before it was parked on Times Square. They did see it on surveillance video that was -- as it was traveling, apparently, to Times Square. Now, what they've been able to glean from that, we don't know just yet, but they are going back to look at a lot of surveillance video, trying to possibly get a suspect description.
Also, right now, the terror alert level in this country, in the United States, has not been elevated. It stays at yellow. That is an elevated level, but still, it hasn't gone up to the next level. So right now, terror officials, Homeland Security official do not feel the need to possibly put the country on a higher alert.
Again, we heard from the mayor, Michael Bloomberg, a short time ago. Continue to play you some of what we heard from him just a short time ago. Listen once again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLOOMBERG: Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have been a very deadly event.
I'm going to begin by telling you what we know and what we don't know. At about 6:30 just last night, an alert T-shirt vendor who is a Vietnam veteran noticed an unoccupied suspicious vehicle on 45th Street just off 7th Avenue, a few blocks from where we are standing. He alerted police officer Wayne Rhatigan of the NYPD mounted unit, who was on his horse, Migs, patrolling Times Square. Officer Ratigan saw the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder, which had smoke emerging from vents near the back seat, and he also smelled gunpowder.
He, with the help of police officers assigned to Operation Impact, immediately evacuated the area and called for the fire department and more police. Firefighters, emergency service officers and the bomb squad responded, and the bomb squad confirmed that the suspicious vehicle did, indeed, contain an explosive device. There were gas cans and bomb-making materials in the car. The experts at the bomb squad are removing them as we speak.
Who abandoned the car and why are under investigation by the NYPD. Commissioner Kelly will fill you in on the details, but I want to thank the professionals at the NYPD and the FBI, as well as the Fire Department and the Office of Emergency Management, for their work tonight, but most of all, the alert vendor and Officer Ratigan of the mounted unit.
You know, we often say that when a terrorist is caught, he has a map of New York City in his pocket, and that's a conversation I had earlier tonight in Washington. And tonight is a further reminder of the dangers that we face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: New York mayor Michael Bloomberg from just a short time ago. He was talking about his evening earlier, quite frankly, a conversation he had, that conversation in Washington, D.C., where there was the national -- the White House Correspondents dinner. It's a very festive, traditional event that happens that the president always attends, kind of a fun, festive event. The tone changed a bit as the buzz started to go around the room, we're told, about the incident and what happened in New York City. But Bloomberg was apparently there in D.C. for that dinner, where he was, in fact, able to discuss what was going on his city with the president and others.
Also, we can let you know the president has been updated on what's happening and is monitoring the situation in New York. The president has, certainly, a busy day, an early day on his schedule. He was scheduled to go down to the Gulf Coast today, is going to the Gulf Coast, where he's keeping an eye and the federal government keeping an eye on that -- that -- trying to avert, really, a natural disaster with that oil spill that happened in the Gulf Coast, the president going to visit there sometime this morning, but also monitoring what's happening in New York.
Our Allan Chernoff has been monitoring this for the past several hours. He is down there right in the Times Square are. Allan, good morning to you once again. For our international viewers, especially -- and certainly, our domestic viewers here in the U.S. are familiar with Times Square. But set that scene just a bit for me, just how eerie it is to be in Times Square and essentially have nobody around.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell you, it's -- it's -- right now, there's still a feeling of the aftermath. And I have someone with me who can describe precisely what happened. He is Hamid Boudali (SIC), and he's a vendor who was actually right near the vehicle. He saw it all.
So Hamid, let's run through this. You were selling your hot dogs, your pretzels, your sodas right by the Marriott Marquis, 45th Street and 7th Avenue in Times Square, the heart of New York City.
HAMID BOUBALN, EYEWITNESS: Yes, sir.
CHERNOFF: What did you see?
BOUBALN: Actually, it was my break time. My partner came and he take over. So I sit down, like nothing happens. So I was eating my -- my food like this. And I told my partner -- because I was facing the car...
CHERNOFF: The SUV, Nissan Pathfinder.
BOUBALN: Yes, sir. And I told my friend, Yo-Yo (ph), look at this. I mean, it looks like a fireworks inside.
CHERNOFF: Inside of the vehicle? What did you see inside the vehicle?
BOUBALN: It looks like a fireworks. I don't know. It's hard to explain, but I -- after that, like, 15 minutes later, you see the smoke came out. And one of the officers came, and he's kicking (ph) everybody from the corner for safety, like, for the human. You guys get out of here. I said, Sir, no, I got my truck here. Give me one second, I move it. He said, No, no. You have to get out of here.
CHERNOFF: But when you -- when you say fireworks, right...
BOUBALN: Yes.
CHERNOFF: Did you see smoke in the vehicle?
BOUBALN: No, the smoke came out. Actually, you know, the glass in the vehicle is so dark, we cannot see nothing. But when it start, like, you know, exploding a little bit, you see, like, a fire.
CHERNOFF: Inside.
BOUBALN: I think it scare me.
CHERNOFF: So there was an explosion that you heard.
BOUBALN: Yes, sir.
CHERNOFF: How loud?
BOUBALN: I mean, in the beginning, it was not that loud. But a little bit later, like, couple minute later, it (INAUDIBLE) I heard it louder (ph), sir.
CHERNOFF: So this was an explosion that occurred over the course of several minutes.
BOUBALN: Yes. Like, in the beginning, it start only a little bit, like -- like -- like it was only maybe (INAUDIBLE) mistake or something happen inside. But 15 minute later, when all the cops came, we start hearing. It looks like a war (ph). CHERNOFF: So it sounds to me that you're describing fireworks going off inside of the vehicle.
BOUBALN: Yes, sir. I saw it on my eyes, like this. And the cops came and take it over (ph) (INAUDIBLE) and everybody from the corner and -- you know, I left my car there and everything until, like, almost, like, eight hours.
CHERNOFF: Well, when you saw these explosions, what did you think? I mean, did you think this was a terrorist attack? Did you think it was just a bunch of fireworks left in a vehicle?
BOUBALN: No, but I don't know. I was telling my friend, like, how come fireworks is going off inside the car. Fireworks is only on Fourth of July so it's outside the car. So if you still agree, why you still bring inside the car. I don't know. That thing scare me so when cops came and they kick me out and my car still, I know something big. If it's not that big cops they're not going to kick you out from there.
CHERNOFF: Did you see at any point any person either go in or out of the vehicle prior to the police arriving?
BOUBALN: No, to be honest sir, no I didn't see the car. I didn't pay attention if the car parked behind me so when my brake sign when I sit down I look at the car because they fix it. It was there for little while. Then the thing it started.
CHERNOFF: And how far away were you exactly?
BOUBALN: Not even 15 feet sir like nothing. I can't say too closely. That's why the officer came and he says move your chair and I hold down my foot like this and I hold my chin and I walk away because he said I don't want you be here. I said sir my truck is there. He said no. Leave the car and go. You go.
CHERNOFF: Scary experience.
BOUBALN: Yes sir I was scared. I turn off the fire here because I have the fire for the hot dogs in case I don't know how long it takes to come back or somehow. But anyway I asked the other officer he said no you guys. Whenever I let you now and it's 1 a.m. or I don't know 2 a.m. in the morning from 7 p.m. and I wake up like six so for me like I feel like this is sleepy.
CHERNOFF: A long day, but fortunately you're OK.
BOUBALN: Yes sir. I am long -- I'm finally thank god sir finally thank god healthy. The NYPD they kick me out. It's a reason but it's still you know for safety I'm happy.
CHERNOFF: OK. Hamid thank you very much for sharing your story.
BOUBALN: You're welcome sir. Thank you very much.
CHERNOFF: OK. Quite an event and as we heard from two eyewitnesses they both say that there actually were explosions inside of that SUV, the Nissan Pathfinder, something that the mayor and the police commissioner did not tell us earlier in the evening. T.J.?
HOLMES: And I wanted to go back to that other -- Allan the other visit. I mean this is -- I assume the police are going to be talking to these two that you have been able to talk as well. Have they said whether or not the police have asked for some kind of a statement from them because again the police aren't telling us about any kind of explosion inside but now you've been able to find two eyewitnesses who are describing something going off in that car.
CHERNOFF: Right. No they both tell me actually the police have not spoken to them, did not take their names nor their numbers so no they have not told their story at all to the police. Clearly when this all happened the police were primarily concerned number one issue was to make sure people were away, make sure the area was secure and safe and of course now the investigation is underway.
HOLMES: And what is the latest you've been able to hear from police about when possibly I guess the entire -- the whole of Times Square is going to be open again to that foot traffic, to those tourists who are in town?
CHERNOFF: Well the police tape is already down. They have been saying that they expect by the morning Times Square will be open. We've been showing you through the evening the police officers working, the vehicle. The bomb squad had been here, took away the material from the back seat of that vehicle, took it up in their -- in their padded truck to their facility in the Bronx where they detonate explosives. So once they move the SUV away, once they actually tow it out of here, we would anticipate that the street will be open and a beautiful Sunday morning there will be plenty of tourists certainly walking right through this street.
HOLMES: And you said once they tow that vehicle away, again we're talking about that suspicious vehicle, that vehicle that was found with the explosives, the bomb making material as the mayor said inside, that vehicle is still there at this point. What is your vantage point? Are you able to see that vehicle still from where you are and are they still working on it quite frankly?
CHERNOFF: Yes we still have some police around the vehicle but as I said, the materials were taken out and afterwards some police wearing protective uniforms but not quite the most padded, the most secure uniforms as the first group from the bomb squad. Some people still looking through that vehicle perhaps checking the wiring, checking the engine. Who knows precisely what they're doing. But they should be finishing up before too long. The police presence also diminishing around here but of course still plenty of tourists, still people very interested in what has transpired here this evening.
HOLMES: And quite frankly I think I heard you answer this question a little earlier to my colleagues about there's kind of a difference between the New Yorkers' mentality and how they're taking the situation versus the tourists to New York who quite frankly saw this as something quite frankly a little something exciting happening on their vacation.
CHERNOFF: That's right. The tourists, you know, they come to New York to get the excitement of New York City, obviously not expecting something like this but this is really you know the sort of tale that they will bring home and tell for years and years and indeed right now we're being told by the police officers to clear out so there is the possibility that the vehicle actually will be coming through the street T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Well Allan I will let you go and we will get back to you. Please keep us updated on exactly what's happening if that vehicle does make it out of there. Our Allan Chernoff, thank you so much from Times Square. He's been reporting there for us overnight.
Bottom of the hour, 4:30 Eastern time here in the United States. To our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world we are keeping an eye on something that's happening in Times Square, the most popular tourist destination in the United States, now possibly a target. According to the mayor of New York, they have found bomb making materials in a vehicle that was left at Times Square.
The call came in about this about 10 hours ago now. It was 6:30 last evening, 6:30 Eastern time when essentially a T-shirt vendor in New York, Times Square full of vendors but one of them out there on the street, a T-shirt vendor who was also a Vietnam vet, he saw some smoke coming from this green Nissan Pathfinder. He then alerted a police officer who put the call in and at that point, police then decided to clear Times Square.
You're seeing a live picture of it there. This is an area that no matter what time of day or night it is bustling with people. It is one of those unique places in this country and in the world that you always have foot traffic, you always have something going on, this evening no people nobody down there. The theater district was evacuated as well. There's some 39 Broadway theaters there. Everybody comes in. About 40 million people come into New York City every single year to stop at that location, Times Square, and today it had to be cleared out because of these bomb making materials.
What was found inside, propane tanks, five gallon tanks of gasoline, clocks, electrical wires, traces of gun powder as well. Now we're hearing from our Allan Chernoff that some witnesses that were next to that vehicle actually reporting that there was some kind of explosion inside. The mayor said it was not amateurish, the wiring, the whole set up inside of this vehicle, the bomb essentially was not amateurish. Also inside this vehicle is what they described as consumer grade fireworks in a locked metal box that resembled a gun locker in the vehicle.
No suspects in custody right now. The investigation is going to focus so much on the surveillance tapes. Right now they saw on surveillance camera this same vehicle about 10 minutes before the call came in driving down the street near Times Square so they're going to be going back surveillance cameras all over the city possibly that could pick up the driver of this vehicle. There were some earlier reports that possibly someone had run from this car after they parked it but according to the mayor they don't have any reports of that and can confirm that at all that someone in fact did that.
Again, the mayor and the police chief came out just a little while ago in the wee hours of the morning to give a press conference. Let's take a listen to some more of that.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK CITY: Well good morning. I'm joined by Governor Paterson and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Police Commissioner Kelly, Fire Commissioner (Cosano), FDNY Chief of Department Ed (Culdiff), FBI Assistant Special Agent in charge Steven (Buchart), Chief of Department Joe Esposito, Chief of Detectives Phil (Polasky), Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence David Cohen, Bomb Squad Commanding Officer Mark Torre and Officer of Emergency Management Deputy Commissioner John (Schrivani).
Before I begin, let me say that we are very lucky. Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have a very deadly event. I'm going to begin by telling you what we know and what we don't know. At about 6:30 last night, an alert T-shirt vendor who is a Vietnam veteran noticed an unoccupied suspicious vehicle on 45th Street just off 7th Avenue a few blocks from where we are standing. He alerted Police Officer Wayne Rhatigan of the NYPD mounted unit who was on his horse, Miggs patrolling Times Square.
Officer Rhatigan saw the vehicle a Nissan Pathfinder which had smoke emerging from vents near the back seat and he also smelled gun powder. He with the help of police officers assigned to operation impact immediately evacuated the area and called for the fire department and more police. Firefighters, emergency service officers and the bomb squad responded and the bomb squad confirmed that the suspicious vehicle did indeed contain an explosive device. There were gas cans and bomb making materials in the car. The experts at the bomb squad are removing them as we speak. Who abandoned the car and why are under investigation by the NYPD.
Commissioner Kelly will fill you in on the details but I wanted to thank the professionals at the NYPD and the FBI as well as the fire department and the office of emergency management for their work tonight but most of all, the alert vendor and Officer Rhatigan of the mounted unit. You know, we often say that when a terrorist is caught he has a map of New York City in his pocket, and that's a conversation I had earlier tonight in Washington and tonight is a further reminder of the dangers that we face.
Commissioner Kelly?
RAY KELLY, NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. NYPD bomb squad has rendered safe an improvised car bomb discovered earlier this evening inside a dark green Nissan Pathfinder parked on 45th Street and Broadway with its engine running and hazard lights flashing. NYPD bomb technicians have removed and dismantled three propane tanks, consumer grade fireworks, two five gallon gasoline containers filled and a -- two clocks along with batteries in each of the clocks, electric wire and other components stored in the rear of the vehicle.
In addition, a two-by-two-by-four foot block metal box resembling a gun locker has been recovered from the vehicle. The bomb squad is in the process of rendering it safe. It will be removed to our range at Rodman's Neck in the Bronx for detonation.
At approximately 6:30 this evening, as the mayor said, NYPD mounted officer was notified by a street vendor of a possible car fire, a smoking vehicle and went to investigate. After observing white smoke billowing inside and coming out of the rear of the vehicle, he and two impact police officers on patrol in the area began to clear pedestrians from the vicinity while radioing for further assistance. Visual examination of the vehicle by responding agencies, the fire department and police department revealed a suspicious looking components in the rear of the vehicle. It has tinted windows and was parked approximately 10 feet from the corner on 45th Street in front of the Bank of America. The Connecticut license plate on the rear of the vehicle does not match the vehicle and investigators are -- have spoken to the individual to whom the plates are registered.
The vehicle is seen at 6:28 p.m. on NYPD surveillance camera traveling west on 45th Street. Now we're in the process of identifying additional cameras which may have captured images of the vehicle and more important people seen driving or leaving the vehicle. NYPD, FBI and authorities are -- other authorities are actively pursuing all investigative leads.
At this time, we encourage anyone with information to call our tips hotline. That's 1-800-577-TIPS. From 43rd Street to 48th Street between 6th and 8th Avenues are closed at this time to pedestrian and vehicle traffic. We expect that they will be reopened soon and we certainly appreciate the public's cooperation. We did evacuate the south tower of the Marriott hotel. Those people are in the auditorium of the hotel and we hope to have them get back in their rooms shortly. Mr. Mayor?
BLOOMBERG: I'd be happy to take a question or two if anybody has any? Yes? Speak up. We can barely hear you.
We have no cameras so far. We are looking at all of the cameras in the area. It will take many hours. So far we have no reports of anybody running away, nothing on a camera yet. That doesn't mean there won't be when we look at all the cameras but so far we do not see anybody running away. We do not know who drove the car or when they left the car sir.
It was made up of consumer grade fireworks that you can buy in Pennsylvania and drive into New York and the wiring was nothing that it looked amateurish I think is a nice way as to phrase it. Sir?
We can't hear you.
What? We can't hear you. You have to speak up. Sorry.
That's correct. There is no VIN number, nothing. It's been removed. Miss?
We have no idea who did this or why and until you find out we can't say any more than that. Yes sir? Say again?
Well there were three propane tanks and two containers of gasoline and it certainly could have exploded and had a pretty big fire and a decent amount of explosive impact and depends how close you were to it at the time. Anything else? Say again?
We always change our security plans and we certainly are not going to announce them. We have looked around other boroughs tonight just to make sure we kept the four to midnight tour on duty and they found nothing suspicious in any other borough and they'll be sent home very soon. Yes?
I just said we've asked everybody, all our police officers to keep -- stay on another shift, keep the shift late. They've looked every place and there's nothing suspicious. This is a city of 8.4 million people and people should go about their business. If you see something strange, pick up the phone and call 911 and turn it over to the professionals and that's exactly what happened here. You had a vendor who saw something, thought it was strange, said something to the police officer on his horse, the police officer looked and then the professionals took over and that's why nothing happened. Yes miss.
Miss we have no idea who did this I said before. We have nothing to go on yet. First thing is to make sure that everybody's safe and then we'll do our investigation. Yes miss.
We -- our staffs were in touch with the white house and the other intelligence agencies while Ray and I were on our way back here.
We'll always look at where it is. There's no evidence that it's tied to the army recruiting or to Viacom or to anything else. It was at an intersection a block north of where we are and you can see what is in the neighborhood.
Anything is possible. We just don't know. Yes miss last question.
The plates we are told -- we interviewed the person to who had the plates. The person said they sent the truck that the plates were on to a junkyard. We're trying to find the owner of the junkyard to see what happened but there's no reason that person -- there is no reason to suspect that he had anything to do with it or that his story is false. Yes last question.
Yes.
KELLY: Is he in the video? It's not that clear. We'll try to enhance that picture but all you see is a vehicle which we believe it to be. We're not 100 percent certain but it's a Nissan appears to be a green Nissan going across the intersection not at that this juncture clear enough to see how many people are in the vehicle.
The call was made to 911 at 6:34 and the vehicle was seen at about 6:28.
BLOOMBERG: All right. Last question. Negative, we have -- I said we so far have no witnesses reporting somebody leaving the vehicle, running, walking, going in any other manner and we will check all of the security cameras of which there are lots and some in office buildings that are closed at the moment so it'll take a few -- you know through tomorrow to be able to do all that. Perhaps it will show and perhaps it won't. Last question.
The bomb squad was called and they in their professional ways used a robot and used men dressed in bomb proof suits and did the job that you would expect them to do, the kind of job that they train for, keeping everybody safe and thank god nothing happened to them as well.
Message to New Yorkers is that we've been saying for an awful long time, terrorists around the world who are -- who feel threatened by the freedoms that we have in this country and want to take those freedoms away from us always focus on the symbol of those freedoms and that is New York City and that's why we keep saying the homeland security and the Congress, Homeland Security funds should come to where there is a threat and these things invariably, not every time but most times come back to New York but the bottom line is we have the world's greatest police department who focuses on anti-terrorism and intelligence and a public that understands that when you see something you say something and that's why this city is safe and we should all go about our business.
Tomorrow the weather's going to be nice. It's a Sunday and people should go and enjoy themselves and just be thankful. This is what we spend our money on. This is why we have all these people who want to work for the world's greatest police department and fire department and office of emergency management and they're the ones that are going to keep us safe and there's no more danger here than in any other major city so that's it. Thank you very much.
HOLMES: Mayor Michael Bloomberg saying there is no more danger there than other major city but certainly people in New York do not feel that way and certainly many people in the United States don't feel that this morning after a car was found in New York's Times Square, the most popular tourist attraction in this country, a bomb -- bomb making materials as they put it found in this vehicle and this could have been a catastrophic incident according to certainly some of the officials there. We are hearing from officials in New York.
We're also hearing from the governor of New York, who kind of put this statement out that kind of flies in the face of some other reporting we're getting, but I'll put it up. He made a statement about terrorism. Let's show you what he said. He said, "We owe an incredible debt of gratitude to the heroic actions of the New York City Police Department and to a single vigilant New Yorker who identified a suspicious vehicle near Times Square in New York City. Luckily, no one is hurt and now the full attention of the city, state and federal law enforcement will be turned to bringing the guilty party to justice in this act of terrorism." That is according to the governor of New York. We are hearing from other sources, other Homeland Security officials who are right now saying that they can't say for sure whether or not this is connected to international terrorism, don't know whether or not this is connected to al Qaeda or some other international terror network.
The live picture you're seeing there is not what you're used to seeing at this time of day or night in New York's Times Square. It is a ghost town. No one down there accept police officials after they cleared the place out about 6:30 last time Times Square, popular Times Square empty because of this threat.
We are -- we have our Jeanne Meserve, our homeland security correspondent who is on the line with us as well. Jeanne hello to you. I know you were covering another story and your attention was on something that the president and a lot of people's attention was on, the Gulf Coast and trying to clean up that oil slick down there but attention turns are now to New York City. Have you gotten any more information about whether or not they believe, homeland security officials believe this was in fact or can go as far as saying this was in fact some kind of act of terrorism?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well I think that by most definitions this would probably fall under the category of terrorism. You have somebody planting a bomb at a very busy Times Square on a weekend night. The question is whether it's something international or whether it's something domestic, whether it's a lone wolf whether it's something organized and it is simply too early to know according to a number of several officials with whom I've spoken this evening.
There have been no claims of responsibility for this. People I've spoken to say at this point they have not turned up anything in the intelligence streams which gives them any clues to this. This investigation still very much in the early stages here. The nation is staying where it has in terms of its threat level. It's staying at yellow. New York, however, has always been at a higher level of alert because they have been attacked before and the expectation has always been that they would be attacked again so they have always had an increased police presence, a very robust intelligence operation, and a lot of demonstration of force around the city to try to deter anything.
Obviously, tonight they caught something here and this is a lesson learned. Federal officials and state and local officials alike have been saying it's up to citizens to keep their eyes open. They're the ones who are going to notice something out of the ordinary that could be an indicator of an attack. That is exactly what happened in this case T.J.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Jeanne, let me follow up with you. Jeanne, this is Brooke joining T.J. here at CNN, and I want to just kind of go through what was found inside of this car and get your take as to what specifically some of these forensic teams might be doing with these pieces of information. According to the mayor, they found three propane tanks, two gasoline containers, batteries, consumer grade fireworks and a locked metal box that resembled a gun locker. Now when you hear all of that, having covered so many incidents through your past here as a journalist, what do you think might have been potentially the intent and what are forensics teams doing right now in the Bronx as they are taking apart this pieces of a potential bomb?
MESERVE: Well, obviously, the intent was to do a lot of damage and probably to kill some people. Propane is highly flammable as is gasoline but in terms of forensics and what they're doing they're still my understanding is still working on dismantling this bomb. They're going to be going over each piece of this bomb very carefully to look for any potential clues and trace it back to its source.
We've had cases in the past where they have for instance traced batteries or they traced backpacks. They'll be doing the same kind of thing here with those gasoline cans with the propane dispensers with the clocks that we were told were part of this device. We don't yet know what the triggering device is. Often times there are certain trademarks in terms of who the bomb maker might have been that might give them some kind of clue or might give some sense of where they learned how to do this so those are the kinds of things they're doing but all of that a lot of that anyway is longer term.
In the nearer future, they're going to be trying to learn more about that car and where it came from and you heard the mayor say there's no VIN number, but there is a VIN number elsewhere in that vehicle. Once they've finished collecting evidence from it, they'll be able to get that number and trace the history of the car to a certain degree at least and perhaps get some good leads from that. In addition you've mentioned the surveillance cameras.
Those are going to be critical, and one law enforcement source who I talked to tonight say not only will they be trying to look at the police cameras and governmental cameras that are around, they'll be looking at those that belong to private industries, companies in the Times Square area. If you stop anywhere in a major city in this country and look around for a minute, you are likely to see five or six cameras within your line of view. They'll be looking at all of those and this individual also said to me that it may come to the point they'll be asking the public if they can provide any photographs.
Of course, as we mentioned, Times Square full of tourists, people snapping pictures of one another and of the scene and perhaps one of those photographs might have turned up something that's significant to this investigation.
HOLMES: All right. Coming up on the top of the hour, Jeanne Meserve with us, our homeland security correspondent talking to us about what is happening in New York City. You're seeing that live picture.
Jeanne don't go away. I still have a question for you but just updating our viewers as we get to the top of the hour here that a car was found, a suspicious vehicle with bomb making materials inside that's caused a force of clearing out the evacuation of New York's Times Square. It's still evacuated at this hour, expected to reopen maybe some time this morning back to tourists and millions and millions of course visit it every single year. Jeanne back to what possibly we knew was coming.
Now, of course, if police if authorities knew something like this was coming they would have done anything in their power to try to stop it but we always talk after an incident about increased chatter, the possibility of more stuff being out there and possibly being able to put the pieces together and see something coming. Is there any indication from your sources, the folks over at homeland security that in fact there was any indication any of that increased chatter that something was afoot?
MESERVE: No, I haven't heard anything that would indicate that was the case but you can be sure that they will be going back and going over the intelligence that they had collected to see if perhaps there was something they missed, something that could still be significant in terms of this investigation but no indication that they had specific knowledge that anything on tour was going to happen.
Although, of course, the country's been on its tip toes especially since Christmas Day when there was that attempted bombing of an aircraft, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and a number of other videos and recordings coming out of the Middle East that have caused some concern in this part of the country but in terms of specifics about something like this coming along, the officials I've talking -- that I've talked to said no they have seen nothing thus far but they're still looking.
