NEW YORK — Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton issued a statement Sunday saying she strongly condemns what she characterized as “apparent terrorist attacks” in Minnesota, New Jersey and New York.
“Law enforcement officials are working to identify who was behind the attacks in New York and New Jersey, and we should give them the support they need to finish the job and bring those responsible to justice,” Clinton said, adding: “We will not rest until that happens.”
The former secretary of state noted that the Islamic State militant group had asserted responsibility for the stabbings of nine people Saturday inside a mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota, about 70 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
“This should steel our resolve to protect our country and defeat ISIS and other terrorist groups,” Clinton said, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State. She added, “I have laid out a comprehensive plan to do that.”
Clinton’s statement Sunday followed remarks to reporters on her campaign plane Saturday night in which she cautioned against rushing to conclusions about the attacks and criticized her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, for quickly telling an audience that an explosion in New York was a bomb that served as a reminder for the United States to “get very tough.”
On Sunday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, said there was “no evidence of an international terrorism connection” to the incident in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, where an “intentional” blast apparently was caused by an improvised explosive device on Saturday. But Cuomo said “a bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism.”
Meanwhile, authorities said they had “promising leads” but still no suspects on Sunday as they continued investigating a pipe bomb that exploded in a Jersey Shore garbage can Saturday morning, shortly before hundreds of people were expected to run through the area in a charity race benefiting Marines and Navy sailors.
In her statement, Clinton said her plan to combat terrorism “includes launching an intelligence surge to help identify and thwart attacks before they can be carried out, and to spot lone-wolf attackers.”
“We also need to work with Silicon Valley to counter propaganda and recruitment efforts online,” she said. “Americans have faced threats before, and our resilience in the face of them only makes us stronger. I am confident we will once again choose resolve over fear.”