Time Square Close Call

A suspected attempted bomb left an SUV containing what police called "explosive elements" in Times Square, as the heart of New York City was packed with theater-goers and tourists.

"This is a bomb. This is a car bomb. A crude device that includes gasoline, propane and is wired together," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.

"There were explosive elements, including powder, gasoline, propane and some kind of electrical wires attached to a clock," Browne said. "No motive has been identified."

Browne said no one was in custody, but police were checking security cameras to see if they could identify a possible suspect.

A mounted police officer noticed a smoking box in the back of the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder that was parked in the vicinity of the intersection of 45th Street and 7th Avenue, at around 6:30 p.m., police said.

The New York Police Department's bomb squad was called in, and the back window of the SUV was broken out. Police sent in a robot to determine what was in the vehicle.

Inside the SUV, investigators found three propane cylinders, two five-gallon jerry cans of gasoline, a canister of powder, electrical components and timing device, police officials said.

Though police on the scene said the motive for the suspected attempted fire-bombing was unknown, but they described the incident as "the real deal."

The mounted officer should be given the Congressional Medal of Honor, and everyone should be more diligent.