Suspicious car leads to closure of Times Square
From Susan Candiotti and Jeanne Meserve, CNN
May 2, 2010 2:24 a.m. EDT


(CNN) -- The license plate on the sports utility vehicle that prompted police to shut down several blocks of Times Square does not match the vehicle, a federal law enforcement official said.

The official said authorities were following "countless, numerous" leads as a bomb squad checked the parked Nissan Pathfinder for explosives.

The shutdown began late Saturday when a foot patrol officer saw smoke coming from a box inside the car with Connecticut plates on 45th Street between 7th and 8th avenues. Browne said the officer noticed a box inside the car with smoke coming out.

The police department's public information office said the box and other items found in the search are not confirmed at this time to be a bomb.

The FBI was on the scene as part of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, with a spokesman telling CNN the agency was taking the situation "very seriously" and that the situation was still being sorted out.

A law enforcement source said police found propane cylinders and a gas can among the items. The source said these could be supplies used by street vendors.

The Department of Homeland Security said it was monitoring the developments. President Obama, who was updated on the situation late Saturday night, said the federal government was prepared to provide support.

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New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said the shutdown began late Satuday after a foot patrol officer passed by a Nissan Pathfinder with Connecticut plates on 45th Street between and 7th and 8th avenues. Browne said the officer noticed a box inside the car with smoke coming out.

Hotels and restaurants were on lockdown and several blocks around Times Square, an iconic landmark popular with tourists, closed to pedestrian and car traffic.

The Marriott Marquis hotel wasn't allowing anyone to enter or leave the hotel Saturday night, and at least one nearby restaurant, TGI Friday's, closed to customers and evacuated staff.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/05/02/times.square.closure/index.html?hpt=T1

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