The last person convicted of parking car bombs in New York City is now a free man.

The Nissan Pathfinder loaded with explosives that was discovered in Times Square on Saturday night was not the first time terrorists have apparently tried to target New Yorkers with a car bomb that fortunately, did not detonate.

In 1973, three car bombs were parked in New York City, two of them on Fifth Avenue, just a few blocks from where this weekend’s explosive laden car was parked, and another at JFK airport.

Khalid Dunham Al-Jawary, a suspected member of the terrorist group, “Black September,” was found guilty in Federal court of carrying out the potential attacks, and parking the cars that were filled with extremely similar explosive materials to the latest incident. Reports said the cars back then also had gasoline, propane tanks, blasting caps and batteries. But instead of Times Square, two of the cars were parked near Israeli related locations. They were discovered when police towed the two cars on Fifth Avenue.

Al-Jawary was captured in 1991 in Italy, and denied he was responsible. Despite his denials, in 1993 he was found guilty and sentenced to thirty years in federal prison. He only served roughly half his time, because he received credit for good behavior. He was freed in February of last year, and was deported. Reports claim he settled in the Sudan. Fox News reported extensively on the now 64 year old’s case, and the controversy over his release.

Thirty-seven years ago, we were lucky, as we are now, that the car bombs did not go off. And some must wonder what will happen to those responsible for the current car bomb now, if they are caught.

Will they share the same fate as Al-Jawary?