New York attack suspect 'left note pledging allegiance to IS'

Sources name the main suspect in Tuesday's deadly Manhattan attack as 29-year-old Uber driver Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

01 November, 2017

The suspect was named by sources as 29-year-old Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov [Twitter]

US authorities investigating Tuesday's deadly attack in New York that killed eight people say they have discovered a note claiming that the attack was carried out on behalf of the Islamic State group.

According to security officials cited by CNN and NBC, the note was found in the truck used by the assailant to run over pedestrians and cyclists near the World Trade Centre.

The suspect has been identified by officials speaking on condition of anonymity as 29-year-old Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, an Uber driver who moved to the US from Uzbekistan in 2010.

It is believed that he was acting alone.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio described the attack as "an act of terror, and a particularly cowardly act of terror," which was "aimed at innocent civilians, aimed at people going about their lives who had no idea what was about to hit them".

Tuesday's incident mirrored a number of attacks perpetrated in western cities in recent years, including in Nice, London and France.

In August, a far-right activist killed one woman and injured 19 other people in the US city of Charlottesville, Virginia when he drove his car into an anti-racism protest.

Saipov, who is suspected of carrying out Tuesday's attack, reportedly crashed his car into a school bus after hopping a curb and driving in a cycle lane for several blocks.

Authorities say he then exited the vehicle and was shot in the abdomen.

He was taken to hospital for treatment and is expected to survive his injuries.