UPDATE…Five Suspects arrested by the FBI last night were Afghans. Greatly increases the odds that it was an act of Islamic extremism.
Police are talking to witnesses who claim they saw an Arab man with a suitcase place something where the second, undetonated bomb was found. That seems to coincide with evidence found at the scene. Sources say that a note partially written in Arabic was found inside the plastic bag containing the pressure cooker bomb. Investigators have found surveillance video of the bomb being planted, but they have not offered the description of the man who planted the bomb.
In another new wrinkle, a hand-written letter, a portion of which is in Arabic, was found inside a plastic bag that held the second device, sources said.
Cops were interviewing two men who claim to have spotted a potential person of interest in the case, sources said.
The witnesses were dining at the Krush bar and grill on 32nd Street about a half-hour before the 8:30 p.m. Saturday explosion when they saw an Arab-looking man who was carrying a suitcase and appeared out of place, sources said.
he men called 911 around 11 a.m. Sunday to report what they had seen and were brought to Manhattan for questioning, sources said.
Investigators have obtained surveillance video of a person placing the unexploded device, sources said.”
The second bomb was discovered by a woman who lived in the area. She called 9/11 and reported it.
If it turns out that the man who planted the bombs is a Muslim, it will stump the police as to his motive.