An explosion rocked one of New York City's main commuter hubs early Monday morning, in what authorities are describing as an attempted terror attack.
At the peak of morning rush hour, a man tried to set off a pipe bomb strapped to himself at the city's Port Authority Bus Terminal, near Times Square, but the device failed, according to authorities. The suspect was identified by New York authorities as 27-year-old Akayed Ullah, a Brooklyn resident.
Ullah and three other people suffered non-life threatening injuries. Authorities said that while the attack was inspired by the Islamic State, there's no evidence that Ullah has been in contact with the terror group.
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"Thank God the perpetrator did not achieve his ultimate goals,” New York City mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press conference.
President Trump has been briefed on the situation, according to the White House. However, the president has yet to issue a statement as of press time. Instead, shortly after 9 a.m. on Monday morning he was tweeting about "fake news."
"Another false story, this time in the Failing @nytimes, that I watch 4-8 hours of television a day - Wrong!" he wrote about a piece published by The New York Times over the weekend where reporters spoke with more than 60 sources to describe what a typical day in Trump's life looks like. He added, "Also, I seldom, if ever, watch CNN or MSNBC, both of which I consider Fake News. I never watch Don Lemon, who I once called the “dumbest man on television!” Bad Reporting."
Another false story, this time in the Failing @nytimes, that I watch 4-8 hours of television a day - Wrong! Also, I seldom, if ever, watch CNN or MSNBC, both of which I consider Fake News. I never watch Don Lemon, who I once called the “dumbest man on television!” Bad Reporting.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2017
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produced by Nicola Pardy.