Like the dog that didn’t bark in the famous Sherlock Holmes story, Silver Blaze, there is something to be learned from what the New York pipe bomber didn’t say. While being treated at New York’s Bellevue Hospital, Akayed Ullah spoke to the police about his motives. He said that he had been planning the attack for several years, in revenge for bombings that had taken place in his country.
First, a quick refresher, in case no copy of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic lies to hand. After Sherlock Holmes had dropped some hints about an investigation, Inspector Gregory asked him, “’Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?’
‘To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.’
‘But the dog did nothing in the night-time.’
‘That was the curious incident,’ remarked Sherlock Holmes.”
New York Pipe Bomber Not Motivated by Jerusalem Issue
The Bangladeshi bomber blamed his anger on unspecified bombings by the United States in his country. He did not attribute them to President Trump’s recent announcement that the U.S. government now recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In spite of the threat of increased violence as a result of the Jerusalem announcement, that was not the motivation claimed by the bomber.
The disruption to ISIS caused by the unrelenting U.S. military campaign is taking its effect.
The bomber did claim to have been inspired by ISIS, according to police sources quoted by the New York Post. But the absence of any reference to Jerusalem suggests that his planning predates Trump’s announcement. It further suggests that the disruption to ISIS caused by the unrelenting U.S. military campaign is taking its effect.
The Islamist militants have been too busy fleeing for their lives to spend much time fomenting attacks in New York. They no longer are capable of projecting power, even on an issue as important to them as Jerusalem. They are reduced to using third-rate bombers in amateur attempts that succeed in causing serious injuries only to themselves.
Akayed Ullah has lived in the United States for seven years, and worked as a New York City cab driver until a few months ago. Former New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said Ullah “was supposedly setting the device off in the name of ISIS. So, definitely a terrorist attack, definitely intended.”
Effect of Military Campaigns
Fortunately, only five people suffered minor injuries. There were no major injuries and no fatalities. Ullah had strapped a homemade improvised pipe bomb to his torso, probably intending to set it off on a crowded subway car. But the bomb went off prematurely, and only partially, while he was walking through a pedestrian tunnel.
The bomber suffered serious burns to his abdomen. He told investigators he made the crude device at an electrical company where he works. It was a five-inch pipe bomb with a battery pack and a detonator.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said that terrorists want to attack New York City because of what it stands for. “The choice of New York is always for a reason, because we are beacons of the world. We show that a society of many background and many faiths can work…The terrorists want to undermine that. They yearn to attack New York City.”
Thanks to our military forces, operating under muscular new rules of engagement, the appeal of terrorist groups has lessened
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo echoed de Blasio’s statement. “This is New York. The reality is we are the target by many who would like to make a statement against democracy and against freedom. We have the Statue of Liberty in our harbor and that makes us an international target.”
“The counter reality is that this is New York and we all pitch together and we are a savvy people and we keep our eyes open and that’s what ‘see something, say something’ is all about. And we have the best law enforcement on the globe and we’re all working together extraordinarily well.”
ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other Islamist terrorist groups encourage supporters to disrupt the holidays of other religious traditions. Christian and Jewish holidays are especially favorite targets. As Christmas approaches, law enforcement and intelligence agencies everywhere will have to work together well, and be increasingly vigilant.
But thanks to our military forces, operating under muscular new rules of engagement, the appeal of ISIS, Al Qaeda, the Taliban and others has lessened substantially. We will win the war on terrorism we fight to win it, and it is backed by political will. We are seeing that today.
