Boston marathon bombing suspects targeted Times Square

By Lee Kyung-min

The brothers who allegedly bombed the Boston Marathon had initial plans of another attack on Times Square, New York, according to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, reported U.S. media outlets, Thursday.

The brothers allegedly made a spontaneous decision to head to New York in a stolen Mercedes SUV Thursday, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.

The victim of the carjacking heard them talking as he was held captive in his Mercedes.

The victim fled the car at a gas station and called the police.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, told investigators that he and his older brother, Tamerlan, intended to set off explosives in Manhattan, according to an official.

"Last night we were informed by the FBI that the surviving attacker revealed that New York City was next on their list of targets," said Bloomberg at a press conference.

"We don't know if we had been able to [stop an attack] if the terrorists had arrived from Boston. Thank God we didn't have to do that," Bloomberg said in New York City Hall.

"The fact is New York City remains a prime target for those who hate America and want to kill Americans," he added.

The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force said to the New York officials that the Tsarnaev brothers had six bombs, including one pressure cooker explosive like the bombs that killed three and wounded more than 280 at the marathon.