Attempted Port Authority Suicide Attack and Associated Risks

• A lone suspect detonated a suicide device in New York’s Port Authority Station.
• The suspect was injured when the device failed to fully detonate; and has now been detained. Three others suffered minor injuries.
• Port Authority and Times Square stations were closed, with services bypassing them.

Terrorism:  At approximately 0720 local time, an explosion was reported near the junction of 40^th Street and 8^th Avenue, in the tunnel connecting the Port Authority and Times Square stations. Reporting suggested that a primitive pipe-bomb or suicide vest was detonated, but failed to fully initiate. Three people, aside from the suspect, suffered minor injuries during the attack and were referred for hospital treatment. The suspect carrying the device was taken into custody following the explosion, he is assessed as having sustained more substantial injuries, specifically burns and lacerations to his hands and torso.

Both the Port Authority and Time Square stations were evacuated whilst law enforcement conducted searches and investigative activities. Vehicle traffic to the Midtown area was restricted in order to minimise disruption to the emergency response. Within two hours of the attack, normal service had been restored to all services, with the exception of the stations affected.

The suspect was identified as a male, 27 year old, Bangladeshi immigrant who has lived in the US for seven years, and resided in the Flatbush area of New York City. He had no known criminal record in Bangladesh or the United States. Police are presently investigating his background.

It is highly likely that this attack was the result of a self-radicalised, lone-wolf, attacker. The lack of a claim of responsibility by a terror organisation; the relatively low-tech and poorly constructed explosive device; and the absence of a follow-up or simultaneous attack indicate that the attacker received little or no outside support. Statements by the New York Governor and Mayor also placed emphasis on online, remote, radicalisation and training as key factors in facilitating this type of attack. It is likely, over the next few days, that a group will claim responsibility for this attack, or the attacker himself may identify an affiliation. This loose connection is unlikely to be indicative of a strong link of training and support to US home-grown terrorists. In this respect, the incident appears similar to the ramming attack which occurred in Manhattan on 31 October.

Disruption around major transit hubs is likely to persist until early 2018 as law enforcement seek to prevent copycat attacks, particularly in the build-up to the Christmas and New Year holiday period; where numerous events may potentially serve as soft targets for terror attacks. The presence of heavily armed officers and additional security screening should not be taken as an indicator that a credible threat has been identified or that an attack is imminent.