Port Authority bomb was made of Christmas lights, sugar and a battery: cops
The Port Authority bomber fashioned his crude explosive device out of a 5-inch piece of pipe, a 9-volt battery, sugar, match heads, Christmas tree lights and screws — but it only partially detonated, according to law enforcement sources.
The home-made pipe bomb, allegedly strapped to Akayed Ullah with velcro and plastic ties and hidden under his jacket, went off underground near the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
But the bomb was apparently a bust — the pipe wasn’t packed tightly enough to explode, so when the festive lights sparked the matches, it just blew the ends off the pipe rather than sending shrapnel flying, sources said.
Ullah survived the blast with some injuries while several other people were mildly wounded.
Christmas tree lights are often used as detonators in home-made bombs — the Boston marathon and London subway terrorists both used the seasonal decor to ignite their charges.