Lower Manhattan Truck Terrorist Sayfullo Saipov Speaks To Investigators

Investigators speaking to the Lower Manhattan truck attack suspect Sayfullo Saipov have learned several key pieces of evidence.

From CNN:

• Saipov told investigators he was inspired to carry out the truck attack by ISIS videos he watched on his cell phone.

• In particular, he told investigators he was inspired by a video of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi asking what Muslims in the US were doing to respond to the killing of Muslims in Iraq.

• He rented a truck on Oct. 22, 2017, to “practice making turns.”

• He purposely chose Halloween as the date for the attack “because he believed there would be more civilians on the street for the holiday.”

• He planned to display ISIS flags on the truck but decided against it so as not to draw attention to himself.

• He asked investigators if he could display ISIS’s flag in his hospital room, telling them he felt good about what he had done.

Saipov remains in the hospital recovering from gunshot wounds sustained after he drove his rental truck into pedestrians killing 8 people.

Saipov has been charged on federal terrorism charges including providing material support to ISIS and violence and destruction of motor vehicles in connection with Tuesday's attack in Manhattan.

.@SDNYnews Acting U.S. Atty Joon Kim: "Just about 24 hours after Saipov's attack, we now have him charged with federal crimes of terrorism." pic.twitter.com/yr9L4OxPou

— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 1, 2017