FBI seeks two witnesses in connection to NY bombing

The FBI said Wednesday it is seeking information about two unknown men who were seen handling an unexploded bomb in Manhattan on Saturday.

The unidentified men, who have been described as witnesses to the bombing instead of as suspects, were seen on video stopping at a piece of luggage on the sidewalk, removing a homemade bomb and walking away with the bag.

{mosads}In a photograph distributed by the FBI, the two men are wearing dark pants, with one in a gray button-up shirt and the other in a pink polo shirt.

“The FBI is interested in speaking to these individuals and recovering the luggage,” the bureau said on the poster.

According to federal prosecutors, Ahmad Rahami planted bombs at locations in Manhattan and New Jersey. Bombs went off in Seaside Park, N.J., and in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, injuring dozens of people. Additional unexploded bombs were found just blocks away in Manhattan and near a train station in Rahami’s hometown of Elizabeth, N.J.  

It’s unknown whether the suspect was working with any associates or had been in contact with people overseas before allegedly carrying out his plot.

Robert Boyce, the chief of detectives for the New York City Police Department, had previously described the two men as likely bystanders who may not have had any connection to Rahami.

“They looked like they were two gentlemen just strolling up and down Seventh Avenue at the time. We have no information that would link them to this at all,” Boyce said during a briefing on Monday.

“However, we still want to talk to them, obviously.”

It’s unclear whether that assessment has changed, or if anything prompted the FBI’s notice on Wednesday.