Explosives found at historic NYC cemetery

Police were questioning a caretaker and a worker at historic New York City Marble Cemetery in Manhattan after police found sticks of explosives in a bag, officials said Monday.

The C-4 explosive found in the East Village burial ground was the same kind and quantity used in the 2005 London subway and bus bombings, said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. But he said the material didn't have the necessary detonators or other components needed for an explosion.

In another wrinkle, cops found the words "I really hope one of you find this" scrawled in chalk on the sidewalk outside the cemetery, with a curved arrow pointing toward the burial ground. The cemetery website said it is generally closed to the public except on special "open days."

A cemetery worker a year ago found the eight sticks of explosives and moved the bag to another part of the cemetery, apparently unaware of the nature of the material, police said. On Sunday the cemetery caretaker came across the bag and moved it to a garbage can. The Associated Press said that a cemetery volunteer then called 911.

The worker and caretaker are being interviewed by police. There are no suspects in the case and no one is under arrest, police said.

C-4 is a powerful explosive thatcame into widespread use during the Vietnam War. It generally requires an electrical detonator to spark an explosion but it can burn slowly and was used by American soldiers to heat up C-rations.

Kelly said the amount used in the London explosions was divided up into individual parcels which caused over 50 deaths.

New York City Marble Cemetery is at 2nd Street and 1st Avenue in the East Village area. According to its website, it opened in 1831 and contains 258 vaults, housing the remains of some wealthy and noted New Yorkers of the 19th Century. The cemetery said it once was the resting place of President James Monroe until his family moved his body to Virginia in 1858.