December 11, 2017

Police: Suspected Attacker in New York Explosion Wore a “Low-Tech” Device

The incident sparked a massive police response.

Mark Lennihan/AP

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One person is in custody Monday morning after police responded to reports of an explosion underneath New York’s Port Authority Bus Terminal—a major transportation hub in midtown Manhattan that connects commuter buses and multiple subway lines. The incident, which occurred at approximately 7:20 am in the passageway along 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, halted an already hectic rush hour commute, and forced hundreds to evacuate the subway system.

The New York Police Department identified the suspect as 27-year-old Akayed Ullah. Officials say he intentionally detonated a “low-tech” pipe bomb device that was affixed to his body using a combination of velcro and zip-ties.

“This was an attempted terrorist attack,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a press conference. “Thank God the perpetrator did not achieve his ultimate goals. Thank god our first responders were there so quickly to address the situation and make sure people are safe.”

The suspect was taken to Bellevue Hospital after sustaining burns to the hands and abdomen. Three other people suffered non-life threatening injuries.

This is a breaking news story. We will update as more information becomes available.

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

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