Feds reveal what they found in NYC terror suspect Sayfullo Saipov's truck
NEW YORK -- The suspect charged in Tuesday's terrorist attack in lower Manhattan had two cell phones with 90 videos of propaganda about the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and 3,800 images related to the terrorist group, prosecutors said.
In an affidavit filed in federal court on Wednesday, FBI agent Amber Tyree revealed what investigators discovered in the rental truck used to mow down 20 people along a bike lane in lower Manhattan, killing eight of them and seriously injuring 12.
Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old native of Uzbekistan, was charged with providing material support to a terrorist organization and using a vehicle to cause violence. Investigators say Saipov was inspired by ISIS to carry out the attack, the deadliest in New York since 9/11. The use of a truck to run over civilians closely mirrors similar attacks that have plagued Europe. ISIS has posted instructions and urged its followers to carry out such an attack on its propaganda channels online.
Saipov is said to have rented a pickup truck from a Home Depot in New Jersey before driving into Manhattan to carry out the attack. He traveled for nearly a mile down a bike lane next to the West Side Highway, coming to a stop only after he slammed into a schoolbus. He then exited the vehicle carrying a black bag, a pellet gun and a paintball gun, yelling "God is great" in Arabic. Saipov was soon shot by a police officer and taken into custody.
Investigators detailed what they found in Saipov's truck after the attack. Inside the black bag, which Saipov dropped after being shot, officers found three knives and a wallet containing a Florida driver's license in Saipov's name.
Inside the truck itself, police found two cellphones and a stun gun on the floor by the driver's side seat.
They also discovered a note about 10 feet from the truck with English and Arabic writing, according to the affidavit. The Arabic writing said "No God but God and Muhammed is his Prophet" and "Islamic Supplication. It will endure," the affidavit says, noting that the latter phrase is "commonly used to refer to ISIS."
The FBI obtained a search warrant to search the two cellphones found inside the truck. The first phone was found to contain 90 videos of ISIS propaganda. Saipov told investigators from his hospital bed that he was inspired to carry out the attack after watching ISIS-related videos on his cellphone, according to the affidavit.
The videos described in the affidavit included footage of ISIS fighters running over a prisoner with a tank, a beheading video, and an instructional video about making a homemade explosive. About 3,800 images were also found on the phone, including many with the logo of ISIS' propaganda arm and several of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the group's leader.
The second cellphone is said to have had search history about renting a truck in Passaic, New Jersey, dating back to several weeks before the attack.
Saipov appeared in federal court in Manhattan a wheelchair on Wednesday to face the charges, which carry the possibility of the death penalty. He is being held without bail.