UPDATED 10 a.m.
Ongoing police activity in the wake of this morning’s attempted terrorist attack in Manhattan is still affecting subway lines serving Queens.
One person is in custody after the blast occurred at 7:25 a.m. in an underground passageway linking the 42nd Street-Port Authority and Times Square subway stations, according to WABC-TV. The Fire Department reported that three civilians suffered injuries that are not life-threatening.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill said the suspect, a 27-year-old man named Akayed Ullah, detonated a “low-tech” improvised explosive device on his body in the passageway. Responding police officers and firefighters found Ullah with burns about his body; he was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment of his injuries and is now in police custody.
The NYPD and law enforcement agents froze an area around the two stations while investigating the blast and conducting security sweeps. Trains serving either the Times Square or Port Authority stations are now skipping the stops.
According to the MTA, the 7, N, Q, R and W trains are skipping the Times Square-42nd Street station in both directions. The A, C and E are still bypassing the 42nd Street-Port Authority station. Additionally, the M train is not running between Forest Hills-71st Avenues and Essex Street.
MTA Chairman Joe Lhota anticipates that all affected subway service will be restored to normal in time for the evening rush hour.
Earlier, all E trains were moved to the F line between Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue and West Fourth Street in Manhattan. The L train had also terminated service at 6th Avenue instead of 8th Avenue, but both lines are running on their normal routes again.
Visit mta.info for additional information about subway service.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that there would be an expanded police presence at all major transit hubs throughout the day today. There are no other known credible threats against the city at this time.
De Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo praised law enforcement agents for their swift response and called on New Yorkers to “go back to work” in spite of this morning’s events.
“We’re not going to let them disrupt us,” Cuomo said of terrorists. “That’s exactly what they want — and that’s exactly what we’re not going to give them.”
