Officials displayed a replica of the bomb being built in the suspected plot

Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a press conference Sunday evening to announce the arrest. The suspect has been identified as Jose Pimentel. Pimentel was arrested within the last 24 hours after trying to purchase explosive materials to build a pipe bomb.

Pimentel is a 27-year-old al Qaeda sympathizer, according to Bloomberg. He is a native of the Dominican Republic and was arrested in Washington Heights.

Bloomberg described the suspect as a "lone wolf" angered by U.S. presence in the Middle East. He insisted the plot was not tied to a larger organization, but compared it to 13 previous, failed terrorist attacks on New York City since 9/11. This would be the 14th attempted terrorist attack.

During the press conference, NYPD officials displayed an example of the alleged device. They also played a video demonstrating the destructive power of such a bomb.

The suspect has been the subject of investigation for over a year, the New York Post reports. It is unclear where the attacks were supposed to have taken place, though authorities are reporting Pimentel was targeting service members as they returned home and their families and others gathered to welcome them.

Authorities said they have been working with an informant for two years. This comes a year after the Department of Homeland Security launched its "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign. The FBI was informed of the investigation but were not involved, according to NYPD officials. 

View the story "Follow reaction to the announcement:" on Storify]