What is a pipe bomb? What to know about the Port Authority bomber’s weapon

Another terrorist attack has occurred. At 7:30 a.m. on December 11th, a pipe bomb exploded in a passageway beneath Times Square.

Thankfully, no one was killed in the attempted attack. Four people were injured when the bomb exploded, according to the Fire Department of New York. Among those injured was the suspect, 27-year-old Akayed Ullah.

The blast occurred near the Port Authority bus terminal, which serves more than 65 million people annually.

Police commissioner James O’Neill told CNN that Ullah wore a “low-tech explosive device attached to his body.” NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller said that the device was inspired by a pipe bomb and that Ullah had attached it to his body using zip ties and velcro. He said that the FBI and bomb technicians are studying the bomb to find out more. A pipe bomb is a kind of homemade bomb made from pipe.

But the bomb didn’t function as it was supposed to, according to CNN. Ullah told police he assembled the bomb at his workplace, which is unknown.

Ullah is being treated for burns and cuts on his hands and body, New York City Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro told CNN. The three victims are being treated at local hospitals for headaches and ringing ears.

The Port Authority Bus Terminal closed temporarily, but it reopened shortly after 10 a.m. according to the New York Police Department’s Twitter account. Several Subway lines were out of service as well, but Subway service is expected to resume the evening of December 11th, according to The New York Times.

In a news conference, Mayor Bill de Blasio referred to the explosion as an attempted act of terrorism. Former NYPD commissioner Bill Bratton told MSNBC that Ullah detonated the bomb in the name of ISIS, but he worked alone and had no prior contact with the terrorist organization.

Ullah’s apparent extremist ideology and his intent to hurt people in a crowded place defines this attack as terrorism. We’re thankful that nobody was killed in the explosion, but this attack is still alarming. To everyone in New York: stay safe.