Who is Ahmad Khan Rahami?
After Saturday bombings in New York City and New Jersey, authorities have launched a manhunt for Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen. A "wanted" poster released by the FBI early Monday morning revealed that Rahami was born in Afghanistan on Jan. 23, 1988 and describes him as having "brown hair, brown eyes, and brown facial hair." He is estimated to stand 5-feet-6-inches tall and weigh approximately 200 pounds. His last known address was reported to be in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where a police robot inadvertently detonated an explosive device found in a backpack early Monday.
Per The New York Times, Rahami worked at his father's restaurant, American Fried Chicken, in Elizabeth. A "frequent patron" of the restaurant told The Times that Rahami "wore Western clothing, hung out on the sidewalk with friends, and often slipped his regular customers free food." The customer also noted Rahami was obsessed with fast cars, specifically Honda Civics "custom built to race."
A bomb went off Saturday in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, injuring 29 people, while a second device nearby did not detonate. Rahami was reportedly identified on surveillance footage taken near the locations of both bombs just before the explosions. Rahami is also wanted in connection with a bombing that occurred earlier Saturday in New Jersey's Seaside Park, where an explosive went off near the course of a charity race, though none were reported injured.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"He's a guy you would never expect," the restaurant patron told The New York Times. "This is sad, terrifying, scary."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Stick guitar
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'Sports executives ushered a fox into the henhouse'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published