At around 18:30 (local) on Saturday police in New York were alerted to a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that was packed with propane gas cylinders, gasoline and retail grade fire works. The police reasonably considered it to be a bomb threat and sealed off the area while the vehicle was made safe.
Although this was clearly a deliberate act I think it's a bit dramatic to call it a terrorist attack. This is because a bomb of this type is unlikely to ever explode as was proved during a similar incident in London back in 2007. Therefore rather then being the work of an organised terrorist cell I think this was the act of a disgruntled lone wolf who may have some vague connection to a variety of ideologies included but limited too; Islam, anarchism or the right-wing militia ideology's that seem to be unique to the US. However regardless of which particular ideology this nut case is using to justify their actions I wouldn't go so far as to call them a terrorist because that wasn't terrorism it was just embarrassing.
As such I think it's time for a bit of political point scoring.
Personally I think it's all the fault of the American right. After the Fort Hood shootings they spent a lot of time criticizing the American left for not calling it a terrorist attack because a supposed Al Qeada leader in Yemen had apparently called on Muslim's living in America to carry out this type of lone wolf attacks. All the publicity that this created has clearly given every malcontent with an SUV and a match ideas.
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