Hudson River bomb plot

{{Short description|Failed bomb plot targeting New York City}}

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

On July 6, 2006, the New York Daily News released a story claiming the FBI had disrupted a terrorist plot to bomb the tunnels connecting New Jersey with Manhattan and drown the New York Financial District with a torrent of water.

The following day the FBI clarified there had been online messages about the idea, but none of the authors were in the United States or making efforts to enter the United States, and counterterrorism officials cast doubt on the significance of the alleged plot and some authorities questioned the breaking news[https://web.archive.org/web/20120331082727/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/07/AR2006070700361_pf.html "Plot to Attack N.Y. Foiled - Transit Tunnels to N.J. Called Targets y Spencer S. Hsu and Robin Wright.], The Washington Post, July 8, 2006 first reported by James Gordon Meek.{{cite news |author1=David Ford |title=ABC News Expands its Award-Winning Investigative Unit |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/04/abc-news-expands-its-award-winning-investigative-unit |access-date=22 October 2022 |work=ABC News |date=29 April 2013 |quote=In 2006, while a reporter for the New York Daily News, James was the first to report that the FBI had foiled a plan to bomb New York City's tunnels in an effort to flood lower Manhattan }}

The alleged plot was unfeasible since the tunnel is embedded in bedrock, and the target is above sea level. there was no evidence that the plotters had taken any actions, such as buying explosives or sending money. Two U.S. counterterrorism officials, speaking to the Washington Post, discounted the ability of the conspirators to carry out an attack.{{cite news

|url = https://www.theguardian.com/international/story/0,,1815510,00.html

|title = Manhattan tunnel terror plot foiled, say US police

|publisher = Guardian Unlimited

|date = July 7, 2006

| location=London

| accessdate=May 4, 2010

}} The report, however, made international news.{{cite news

|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5158518.stm

|title = Three held over NY tunnel 'plot'

|publisher = BBC News

|date = July 8, 2006

}} The government initially protested about how the story was leaked to the New York Daily News.{{cite news

|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/07/AR2006070700361.html

|title = Plot to Attack N.Y. Foiled

|newspaper = Washington Post

|date = July 8, 2006

| first1=Spencer S.

| last1=Hsu

| first2=Robin

| last2=Wright

| accessdate=May 4, 2010

}} The Department of Homeland Security assured the public there "was never a concern that (the plot) would actually be executed".{{cite news

|url = http://cbs4boston.com/topstories/local_story_188161114.html

|title = Chertoff Addresses NY Plot While In Boston

|publisher = CBS 4 (Boston)

|date = July 7, 2006

}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Although Meek had specifically said the Holland Tunnel was the target of the plot, authorities disputed this and said there had been "extremely vague" messages sent between online user accounts on a website they were monitoring.{{cite news

|url = http://cbs4boston.com/topstories/topstories_story_188081817.html

|title = N.Y.C. Transit Bomb Plot Thwarted

|publisher = CBS News

|date = July 7, 2006

}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news

|url=http://www.abc4.com/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=F5F39ACB-F4AF-456D-AB8E-6021F9955BF5

|title=Feds say 'real deal' plot on NY-NJ tunnel is foiled

|publisher=AP via ABC4.com

|date=July 7, 2006

}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}