1 year after scare in Times Square, bear concerns

NEW YORK – A year after a militant Pakistani immigrant widespread panic by driving a bomb full of sport utility vehicle in the heart of Times Square, New Yorkers, tourists and even the salesman who alerted police to the vehicle to smoke even down to "The Crossroads of the world," as if it never happened.

But behind the scenes, the New York Police Department and other law enforcement officers to watch over and concern for the next terrorist plot against the city, which they say is certain to come. Experts say that while al-Qaeda remains a threat, the bombers has admitted in the case of Times Square was a modern breed of homegrown terrorists – perhaps one with less formal education and fewer resources than the September 11 attackers, but with equal boldness and willingness to stage strikes children who still have the power to paralyze a city.

"The old al-Qaeda that we knew after 9 / 11 was very centrally controlled," said Randall Larsen, director of the nonprofit for Homeland Security. "Part of the new al-Qaeda is training and motivation, and in some cases bit 'of money and equipment to these small groups that are all over the world."

Since the May 1 bombing attempt by Faisal Shahzad of Bridgeport, Connecticut, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Pakistan, the NYPD has continued to refine the trip wire is hoping to stop the other would-be terrorists. Police have expanded the programs to control stocks and sales of fertilizers, household chemicals and other potential bomb ingredients craft to patrol the subways with bomb-sniffing dogs and heavy weapons, and to use license-plate readers, CCTV cameras and radiation detectors to harden targets Wall Street and midtown against dirty bomb and other attacks.

Evolution 'of the attacker threat'The next terror is likely to be a little more sophisticated, "self-radicalized" terrorists, like Shahzad, who is seen as a follower of a radical social movement rather than a sworn member of a terror network said Peter Romaniuk, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, specializing in international security and counterterrorism.

Shahzad The case is part of the evolution of the terrorist threat, "said Romaniuk. Regarding the Sept. 11, he added, "that expeditionary style of terrorism is less likely to occur these days."

An indictment recently unsealed in federal court in Manhattan is a reminder of how – compared to Shahzad – the September 11 attacks were a 'firm established in 1999 that began with training the mind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed admitted the hijackers "to use short-blade knives, killing sheep and camels."

Mohammed had tens of thousands of dollars linked to the sleeping cell in the United States in the months before the attacks, prosecutors said. He stayed in constant contact with the hijackers, in May 2001 instructing them "to take the flight to study basic security measures in flight" and "to respond to Las Vegas to make their final preparations."

At the end of August 2001, he "was informed of the date that the hijacking was carried out attacks and Osama bin Laden Mohammed notified of it," the document adds.

By contrast, Pakistan provided the Taliban with Shahzad about $ 15,000, and only five days of explosives training in late 2009 and early 2010, months after becoming an American citizen.

On May 1, 1993 made a Nissan Pathfinder carrying his crude bomb in a busy section of Times Square, parked and walked away. Duane Jackson street vendor spotted smoke coming from the SUV and alerted police, who quickly cleared the area.

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The discovery of a wave of fear spread throughout the city and shut down Times Square for 10 hours as the bomb squad took over. It was discovered that the bomb – made of fireworks, fertilizer, propane tanks and jerry cans of gasoline – had, fortunately, not fire.

Part of the problem, then the explosive experts said, was that the fertilizer was not the right level and the fireworks were not powerful enough to trigger the chain reaction is intended. A test has shown that, if properly connected, would create a fireball capable of crushing cars and pedestrians, killing hundreds of feet in all directions.

The attempt to bomb set off intense investigation, which culminated two days later by the investigators Shahzad plucking off a plane at Kennedy Airport bound for Dubai.

Authorities say that once caught, Shahzad has embraced his role and he wanted to describe his plot failed. At sentencing, he warned Americans: "Brace yourselves, because the war with Muslims is just beginning."

'Looking over my shoulder'The anniversary is a reminder that New York has been lucky, "said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. "We had an individual who was able to drive away with what he thought was a bomb functional. It could have been a great catastrophe."

The attempted attack, Kelly added, was further evidence "that there are people out there who are committed to coming here and killing us, and we must be vigilant."

By Shahzad 31 years behind bars for life, there is no clear evidence that Times Square was a war zone is intended, even if the police in New York remains a presence.

Police on horseback and foot patrols have started around hotels, restaurants and Broadway theaters. The department also has a substation at 43rd Street with a neon "New York City Police Dept" sign, two blocks south of where Shahzad planted his bomb.

The NYPD has recently decided to raise the sign about 10 feet (three meters) "so that passers blocks away to see clearly where the police station, either to report the crime, terrorism suspects or just get general assistance "said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne.

On Friday, a waitress Devin Preston, 28, waited in a line running to get tickets to a Broadway show right near the spot where the bomb had vanished. He said he vividly remembered the bomb scare.

"The funny thing is that panic is contagious, especially in a city like New York," he said. "There's only so many people gather here at this energy. Especially because of what happened on 11 September.

At the corner of 45 th and Broadway, the 58-year-old Jackson still sells wallets and other accessories, as in the last 13 years, in an area often filled with tourists heading to shows at the Marriott Marquis, Schoenfeld or Music Box.

It 'been a year since your stomach dropped at the site of the vehicle smoke. Since then, "it seems there is always a police car parked just where the terrorist guy parked his SUV, and usually there are few other side of the road."

As for whether the terrorists still lurk, he said, "Of course I still have my suspicions, but I'm not looking over my shoulder as I was before."

Associated Press writers Samantha Gross and Colleen Long contributed to this report.

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