India condemns 'dastardly' terror attack in New York City

New York [U.S.A.], November 01 (ANI): India has condemned the terrorist attack in New York City, saying that it stands with the United States in this moment of grief.

The Indian embassy in New York issued a statement on Twitter, condemning the terrorist attack.

"We stand together with New York City in this moment of grief. We condemn this dastardly terrorist attack. Our prayers are with the victims," India in New York tweeted.

When asked if any Indian was among the casualties, the India embassy told ANI on Twitter, "Identity of casualties have not yet been revealed." However, the embassy later said, "Our sources in NYPD indicate there are no Indian names amongst the casualties. So far preliminary info. We are ascertaining."

At least eight people died and 15 others got injured after an attacker drove a rented truck onto a bike path near the site of the World Trade Center memorial in Manhattan.

The U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will not allow Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group to "return or enter" in the country after at least eight people died in a terror attack in Lower Manhattan.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference, "Based on information we have at this moment, this was an act of terror, and a particularly cowardly act of terror aimed at innocent civilians."

Unconfirmed pro-ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) social media sites claim the New York terror attack as one of their own.

However terror expert Rukmini Callimachi says, "in general ISIS doesn't claim attacks if perpetrator is in custody." In this case, the truck driver is alive and being questioned by New York police.

According to the NBC News, the attacker was a Uzbek national who came to the U.S. in 2010 and has been living in Florida for the past seven years.

"NBC says suspect in NY attack was 29-year-old Uzbek national who came to US in 2010 and was living in Tampa, Fla," Los Angeles Times reporter Barbara Demick quoted NBC News as saying on twitter.

A senior law enforcement official said that the Federal authorities were treating the incident as a terrorist attack.

"He jumped out of the truck with a pellet gun, yelled, 'Allahu Akbar,' and the First Precinct lit him up," a law enforcement official said.

Several nearby buildings, including Stuyvesant, were placed on lock-down. (ANI)