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CNN Expert: Possible ‘Two or Three Lone Wolves Somehow Got Together’ for N.Y., N.J. Bombings

September 19, 2016

A CNN global affairs analyst said Monday it was possible that multiple lone wolf terrorists "somehow got together" to plot and carry out this weekend’s bombings in New York and New Jersey.

Host Carol Costello asked David Rohde, an investigative reporter at Reuters, for his take on who was behind the bombings. Rohde said he believed a cell was responsible for the attacks over the weekend in New York and New Jersey and that there may be a foreign connection.

"Just the number of devices that have been found, it’s clearly very alarming. You know, and in terms of the foreign connection, it’s not clear," Rohde said. "[The suspect] is an Afghan, but my suspicion if it’s any foreign tie, it’s to ISIS and Syria itself."

"This will be more a case of a young–he seems like he had very little, spent very little part of his life in Afghanistan," Rohde said. "So, maybe a group that radicalized online. The worst case would be if someone had training in Syria, and came back. That would give them, you know, better skills to carry out the attack."

Costello then mentioned to Rohde how ISIS has not yet claimed responsibility for the attacks in New York and New Jersey, but has done so for the stabbing spree in Minnesota on Saturday.

"It’s odd. You would think that ISIS would sort of leap at the chance to get credit for this," Rohde said. "So there’s a chance that ISIS is not directing the cell in New York. Again there has been this, you know, we’ve seen this stream of attacks and it can be, you know, two or three lone wolves who somehow got together and radicalized online."