A bomb exploded in New York's financial district early yesterday, but was not being treated as the work of terrorists, said Mr Rudolph Giuliani, New York City mayor.
The explosion occurred at 9.41 a.m. (4.41 a.m. local time) in front of a building owned by Barclays Bank, which it sublets to financial firms Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and JP Morgan. The explosion also damaged 95 Wall Street, across the road from the Barclays building. A passer-by who suffered an ear injury from the blast was treated and released, police said.
Mr Giuliani said the injured person was one of four postal workers walking past the building when the bomb went off. Police are questioning the postal workers and a composite sketch of a suspect is expected to be released.
The mayor said the blast, caused by what police described as a home-made, simple device in a metal container like an ammunition box, "could have killed someone".
The New York Stock Exchange, which is close to the blast site, opened on time at 9.30 a.m. local time, despite a chaotic morning for commuters after several streets in the area were closed by police.
