Federal agents are still looking for the bomber who set off an explosive device outside the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Times Square 15 years ago this month.
The FBI announced Tuesday that it is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects involved in the March 6, 2008, bombing.
Investigators believe the case is linked to two other bombings—one that took place outside the British Consulate in May 2005 and another outside the Mexican Consulate in October 2007.
Members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) say that they have identified several people of interest who are being actively pursued. Furthermore, the components of the explosive device used in the Times Square incident have been identified.
“Fifteen years may have passed since the bombing occurred, but the JFFT is unwavering in the pursuit of justice in this case,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J Driscoll.
The Times Square bombing was carried out by a suspect on a bike who rode up to the recruiting station and placed the device. The bomber then lit a fuse and fled the West 43rd Street location on the bike. No one was injured in the explosion.
The bike was later recovered in a dumpster near Madison Avenue and 38th Street. The suspect on the bicycle was wearing a gray sweatshirt and pants of an undetermined color. The height, weight, age and sex of the suspect remains unknown.
The FBI says the device was built using an ammunition can. It was filled halfway with black powder and detonated using a time fuse. Investigators say it could have caused significant casualties if people had been close to the blast.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of other people being involved in the attack, noting that as many as five individuals could have acted as lookouts.
Details of the Times Square bombing are similar to the unsolved bombings at the British and Mexican consulates in Manhattan, according to the FBI. All of the devices were delivered by an individual on a bicycle and were detonated between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.
The FBI is asking for information pertaining to any of the three bombings, encouraging people to call its tip line at 212-384-1000.
