'No evidence Times Square bomb was more than a one-off event'

The US homeland security chief has said there was no evidence that a car bomb planted in the middle of Times Square was more than a one-off event.

Janet Napolitano confirmed that forensic evidence, including fingerprints, had been recovered.

The device, which has now been defused, was left in the centre of the tourist district, in an area packed with holidaymakers.

A nearby street vendor noticed smoke coming from the vehicle and alerted the Police Department.

Neil O'Dowd is Editor of the Irish Voice Newspaper in New York.

“We avoided what we could have been a very deadly event,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. “It certainly could have exploded and had a pretty big fire and a decent amount of explosive impact.”

Investigators removed three propane tanks, consumer-grade fireworks, two filled five-gallon petrol containers, and two clocks with batteries, electrical wire and other components, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said at a news conference early today. A black metal box resembling a gun locker was also recovered.

“I think the intent was to cause a significant ball of fire,” Mr Kelly said.

Mr Bloomberg called the explosive device “amateurish” but potentially deadly, noting: “We are very lucky.”