Was Central Park explosion terror test run?

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - At the time a bomb went off maiming a college student in Central Park this summer, city officials said it was the result of a hobbyist experimenting with explosives and ruled out terrorism.  But following an explosion in Manhattan Saturday night, questions are being raised as to whether that was an accurate assessment.

Surgeons amputated Connor Golden's left foot following the incident near East 60th St. and 5th Ave. on July 3. The bomb was found to have TATP.

"TATP is a homemade explosive. It is a primary explosive. It is very hazardous or dangerous to work with, not something a hobbyist is going to use for an aerial shot," said bomb expert Kevin Barry.

Authorities said there was no evidence that the explosion was related to terrorism and there were no specific, credible threats on New York over the July Fourth weekend.

The former NYPD bomb squad member says the city's official take was "spin."

"It's basically impossible to use TATP as fireworks, " said Barry.

The Central Park explosive may have been designed to go off at an earlier time, even a day before, but for whatever reason did not.

The 11 a.m. blast on the east side of Central Park could be heard for blocks, leaving some with the belief that it was part of a July Fourth celebration.

Golden, 19, returned to the University of Miami in August.