New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has spoken out against speculation that a failed car bomb attempt in the heart of New York was the work of al-Qaeda or other major terrorist groups. <\/p>\n
“There is no evidence that this is tied in with al-Qaeda or any other big terrorist organisation,” Mr Bloomberg said.<\/p>\n
In a one-minute internet video a Pakistani Taliban group claimed that it was behind the failed attack. Tehreek-e-Taliban said the bomb was revenge for the deaths of its leader and the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.<\/p>\n
However NY police doubt the claim, saying the group does not have the global infrastructure to carry out such a strike.<\/p>\n
Two videos released by the group feature Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, providing the strongest evidence to date that he survived a U.S. missile strike in January.<\/p>\n
In a video allegedly made on April 4, Mehsud sid “the time is very near when our fidaeen (soldiers) will attack the American states in the major cities.”<\/p>\n
The New York City Police Department have released surveillance video of a man leaving the scene near where a car bomb was found in Times Square. The man is seen taking off his shirt as he walks down the street.<\/p>\n