Greenwich Village Couple Arrested After Investigators Find Explosive Powder, 'Terrorist Encyclopedia'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - A Manhattan couple has been arrested on weapons charges after a white powder used to make bombs and papers titled "The Terrorist Encyclopedia" were found in their Greenwich Village apartment.

Morgan Gliedman is awaiting her court appearance. Her boyfriend, Aaron Greene, was held without bail after he appeared in state court in Manhattan on Sunday. Both were arrested Saturday as police executed a search warrant at their apartment.

Three buildings in Greenwich Village were evacuated Saturday, after police found a substance that looked like explosive powder.

Police Detective Martha Barrera reported that a plastic container containing a white powdery substance known as HMTD was found in the living room. The substance is highly explosive.

A police spokesman said the NYPD warrant squad went to the home to look for a woman Saturday morning in a building on 9th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and spotted the white substance in an ashtray.

It was removed to a police firing range for analysis.

Police said investigators also found a shotgun and two magazine clips for handguns.

"They had improvised and modified firearms, deadly homemade weapons, a do-it-yourself sub-machine gun - how to make it," NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly said on Monday.

Gliedman and Greene were both charged with criminal possession of a weapon.

Neighbors on the quiet, affluent block were shocked by the discovery.

"I'm kind of surprised; it's kind of a quiet building," said Joan, who lives next door. "I'm still a little bit in shock, because of this particular house, and how fancy it is."

When asked if she felt safer, Joan said, "No, not really," but on the other hand, "I'm very happy that the law is on top of something."

1010 WINS' Gene Michaels reports

Not only does Joan live next to the where the bomb-making materials were found, but she also learned some history because of the arrests. Back in 1970, there was an infamous incident not far away involving bomb-making – and that incident involved a real bomb that exploded.

On March 6, 1970, members of the Weather Underground – the infamous radical group bent on starting a revolution to overthrow the U.S. government – were assembling a bomb packed with nail sin the basement of a historic townhouse at 18 W. 11th St.

The bomb prematurely detonated, destroying the townhouse and killing three people who had been working on the explosive device.

Joan found the coincidence ironic.

"Living in this world is sort of next to disaster all the time," Joan said.

Attorney Lisa Pelosi, representing Greene, called the situation sad but declined further comment.

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