Ahmad Khan Rahami Charged By Federal Officials With Planting NYC And NJ Bombs
It's been four days since "intentional" explosive devices detonated in both New York City and New Jersey.
As officials and law enforcement reacted to an explosion on 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan at around 8:30 pm on September 17, it was originally unclear if the incident was an act of terrorism.
Mayor Bill De Blasio first reported that the explosion was an "intentional act."
Earlier that day, a second explosive device detonated in Seaside Park, New Jersey as nearly 2,000 runners prepared for a marathon.
Thankfully, the race started late and the detonated bomb failed to injure or kill anyone. In addition, pipe bombs were also found in a backpack nearby a train station in Elizabeth, New Jersey that day.
The next morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed that the explosion in New York City was a result of terrorism.
With 29 people injured and millions of dollars worth of property damage as a result of the 23rd Street attack, officials were determined to find out who was responsible for the bombings, as well as the other bombs found in New Jersey.
After conducting their investigation, federal officials have charged Ahmad Khan Rahami with planting bombs in both New York City and New Jersey.
He was found to be responsible for 10 bombs total, which include two pressure-cooker bombs and the bomb that detonated on 23rd street.
As of yet, it is unclear to investigators whether or not Rahami had help from a counterpart to build the bombs.
According to the New York Times, Rahami has also been charged with the attempted murder of a police officer during a shootout on Monday following the bombings.
The gun battle resulted in Rahami's arrest in Linden, New Jersey.
The 28-year-old suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami had reportedly been on the FBI's radar two years ago, but the agency never fully investigated him.
The agency released a statement, saying,
In August 2014, the F.B.I. initiated an assessment of Ahmad Rahami based upon comments made by his father after a domestic dispute that were subsequently reported to authorities. The F.B.I. conducted internal database reviews, interagency checks, and multiple interviews, none of which revealed ties to terrorism.
In other words, Rahami practically slipped through the cracks despite the fact that his own father, Mohammad Rahami, raised concerns with authorities regarding his son's behavior.
Ahmad Khan Rahami has also been charged with using weapons of mass destruction, use of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, bombing a place of public use and destruction of property by means of fire or explosive.
Citations: Ahmad Khan Rahami Charged in New York and New Jersey Bombings (New York Times)
