[2] The bomber was identified by police as 27-year-old Akayed Ullah, a Salafi Muslim immigrant from Bangladesh; he was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to life in prison in 2021.

[6][7] According to the city's fire department commissioner, the suspect suffered burns to his hands and torso while three bystanders had "ringing ears and headaches".

[10] After the incident, the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) arrested a "would-be suicide bomber" armed with a pipe bomb (which was filled with sugar and Christmas tree lights[11]) and a battery pack.

[13] His uncle won a diversity visa lottery which enabled him to bring Ullah to the United States under the family reunification provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.

He subsequently converted to Salafism and pressured his family to pray regularly and adopt conservative religious beliefs.

[24] A law enforcement source told CNN that Ullah said he carried out the attack in response to recent Israeli actions in Gaza over Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

[7] During court proceedings, Ullah denied being an ISIS sympathizer, saying he "was angry with Donald Trump because he said he will bomb the Middle East and protect his nation".

President Donald Trump said, "There have now been two terrorist attacks in New York City in recent weeks carried out by foreign nationals here on green cards.