‘Miracle’ nobody died in Manhattan bombing — prosecution

NEW YORK: A prosecutor in the trial of the suspect in a September 2016 Manhattan bomb attack said Monday it was a ‘miracle’ nobody was killed.

Ahmad Khan Rahimi, a 29year-old American of Afghan descent, is accused of planting several bombs in New Jersey and two in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood.

Most of the bombs did not explode but one of the devices in Chelsea wounded 31 people when it blew up. No one was killed.

Rahimi allegedly spent months preparing bombs made of explosives and metal chips placed inside a pressure cooker — which could be detonated using a smartphone.

According to the prosecution, he “searched the internet for howto videos,” “ordered tools and electronic equipment online” and “tested it in his backyard.”

“He believed he was a soldier in a holy war against America, and New Jersey and New York City was his battling ground,” said Assistant US Attorney Shawn Crowley.

“There is clear evidence of his desire to cause harm on a massive scale,” he added.

The prosecution said police found a notebook containing references to Osama Bin Laden and the Islamic State group after arresting Rahimi, which was shown to jurors Monday.

It added that ‘more than 40’ of Rahimi’s fingerprints were discovered on the unexploded bombs, while witnesses were also called to explain abundant CCTV footage. — AFP