NEW YORK CITY—At 7:20 am, on Monday, at the Port Authority Bus Terminal subway in the underground walkway, between 42^nd Street and 8^th Avenue and 42^nd Street and 7^th Avenue, a 27-year-old male, Akayed Ullah, detonated a low-tech, explosive device that was attached to his body with Velcro and zip ties.

The explosion of the crudely fashioned, metal pipe bomb caused burns to Ullah's hands and abdomen, and also lacerations. The suspect was placed into custody and transported to Bellevue Hospital. Three people who were near the explosion suffered minor injuries, including ringing in the ears and headaches. Two of the victims took themselves to Mount Sinai West, the third to Mount Sinai Queens.

In a GlobeSt.com interview, Christopher Berry, senior director at Kroll, a New York-based risk consulting firm, says terrorist attacks most likely will affect CRE in a collateral manner rather than having a direct impact.

“It is important that property management maintain robust emergency and communications protocols with all tenants, including building evacuations and shelterings,” says Berry. “Property management also should maintain a level of security awareness and the capability to actively monitor ongoing events.”

He further notes that CRE employees and tenants should be regularly briefed on existing and updated emergency procedures and communications protocols.

The incident prompted the Real Estate Board of New York to send the following message to its members:

“REBNY is monitoring the situation at the Port Authority. In the meanwhile, we encourage our members to review your building security measures and take appropriate means to secure your facilities. Please be on the lookout for alerts from the NYC Office of Emergency Management and NYPD Shield.”

Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill explains the Shield program is a public-private initiative to help private sector security managers with counterterrorism measures, which in turn help protect the city from terrorist attacks.

In a press conference, with Governor Andrew Cuomo and Commissioner O'Neill, Mayor Bill de Blasio emphasized the nature of the incident. “Let's be also clear, this was an attempted terrorist attack.”

The suspect is a 27-year-old male, a resident of Brooklyn. CBS News reports Ullah came to the US from Bangladesh in February 2011, with his parents and siblings. The Associated Press reports that Ullah was inspired by the Islamic State group, but did not have contact with them, according to US law enforcement officials.

He further notes that CRE employees and tenants should be regularly briefed on existing and updated emergency procedures and communications protocols.

The incident prompted the Real Estate Board of New York to send the following message to its members:

Instant Insights /

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