Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Bomb Scare Evacuates Times Square

   New York police find SUV filled with explosives

     02 May 2010

Photo: AP

   TIMES SQUARE EVACUATED

   New  York  City  police  have evacuated thousands of people from Times
   Square in the heart of the city's entertainment district after finding
   an apparent car bomb there.
   New  York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told reporters early Sunday the city
   was  lucky  that it avoided what he said could have been a very deadly
   event.
   Police  say  the  bomb squad that was called Saturday to investigate a
   suspicious  sport  utility  vehicle,  and confirmed the presence of an
   explosive device.
   Bloomberg   says  the  vehicle  had  propane  tanks,  gas  containers,
   commercial-grade fireworks and timing devices in it.
   Bloomberg  says  authorities  do not know who was behind the car bomb,
   but  that  the  Federal Bureau of Investigations and other authorities
   are pursuing all active leads.
   U.S.  President  Barack Obama praised the New York Police Department's
   quick response.

   Mayor  Bloomberg  says  the  explosive  device could have exploded and
   caused a large fire, but called the device "amateur-ish."
   He  says police, fire firefighters and bomb experts were called to the
   SUV  after  a  t-shirt  vendor  noticed  smoke  coming  out of it, and
   informed a police officer on horseback.
   Bloomberg  says  police  officers  did  not  find any other suspicious
   vehicles in the rest of New York City.
   Times  Square is one of New York's main attractions, with theaters and
   restaurants that draw thousands of tourists throughout the year.

   Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

.