The man accused of plowing into people on a lower Manhattan bike path Tuesday had apparently been planning the attack for a number of weeks, police officials said today.
“He did this in the name of ISIS, and along with the other items recovered at the scene was some notes that further indicate that,” John Miller, deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism of the NYPD, said this morning of the attack that killed eight. “He appears to have followed almost exactly to a ‘T’ the instructions that ISIS has put out in its social media channels before with instructions to their followers on how to carry out such an attack.”
The suspect has been charged in a criminal complaint with providing support to ISIS and violence and destruction of motor vehicles. A second person is being sought by the FBI in connection to the attack.
Here is what we know about the attack:
— The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov, was shot in the abdomen by a police officer and was transported to a hospital for treatment. He has been charged in connection to the attack.
— Authorities are calling the incident a suspected terror attack. Saipov is believed to have worked alone, law enforcement sources said.
— A handwritten note in Arabic were reportedly recovered from the scene. According to the criminal complaint against Saipov, it said, “No god but god and Mohamed is his prophet” and “Islamic supplication. It will endure.”
— Investigators have talked to Saipov, who is expected to survive. It’s unclear what, if anything, investigators learned from him, though one official told ABC News the suspect seemed “proud” of the attack.
— According to sources, Saipov rented a truck about one week ago in what may have been part of advanced planning.
— A second person, Mukhammadzoir Kadirov, is being sought by the FBI in connection to the deadly attack.
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