A person of interest is being questioned about a "crude bomb" that was found as part of an extortion plot Monday at a Home Depot in Huntington, but that person has not been charged, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

The source said the FBI is assisting Suffolk County police in the investigation involving a letter that was sent to the store saying if money was not paid more bombs would be placed.
The "improvised explosive device" was found Monday afternoon at the Home Depot store and removed by Suffolk police that night, the FBI said earlier Wednesday.

The package was discovered in the store, in a shopping center on New York Avenue, after the management received a bomb-threat letter, Suffolk police said.
The note specifically targeted Home Depot, a law enforcement source said.
The suspicious package was "rendered safe" by Suffolk Emergency Services officers, police said.

Store officials had called 911 at 4:11 p.m., police said, and the store, which had about 50 customers and employees at the time, was evacuated.

In a prepared statement early Wednesday, Suffolk police said: "Members of the Suffolk County Police Department's Communications Section, Patrol Division, Special Patrol Bureau and Detective Division are very aware of the incident that occurred at the Home Depot in Huntington. They stand ready to respond to any call of a suspicious package in an expeditious manner."

Suffolk police declined to make any additional comment concerning the substance of the note, or whether there were any other specific bomb threats made.

"I can assure you that public safety is the number one priority of the Suffolk County Police Department," Suffolk Police Deputy Insp. Kevin Fallon said early Wednesday. "We have a very active investigation at this time, and for investigative reasons, we are not going into more detail at this time."

Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes referred questions to police when asked what happened and whether other stores were targeted.
"Federal and state authorities have begun a thorough investigation of the incident, and we're doing everything we can to assist them," Holmes said. "The safety of our customers and associates is certainly of the utmost importance to us, so we always work to make sure we have appropriate security for our stores."
Several people entering the store Wednesday morning said they were unaware of the explosive device being found, but Joe Zihal, a regular customer, said he came out of curiosity.

"I shop here all the time and I heard about it on the radio, and they didn't say which store it was," said Zihal, 64, of Greenlawn, who is unemployed.
He said the bomb did not cause him any concern. "Nah. It's not going to make a difference. I know all the workers here. They know me. I even bring my dog sometimes," Zihal said.

Ed McLaren, 50, of Mastic Beach said he had not heard about the incident, but, "Sure it causes me concern."
"It won't affect me shopping here," McLaren said as adjusted a stack of lumber in the back of his red pickup truck. "This is convenient, and I'll be back."

With Bill Mason and Ellen YanSource: http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/source-person-being-questioned-in-home-depot-bomb-1.4124715