Two explosions reported at the Boston Marathon (Updated: 6:50PM EST April 16 2013)

[Frezzato]

snip

I don't have a source to back this up but I had one ear on the BBC live feed of this and they had a couple of interviews (is that even the right word to use here?) with people on the ground, one of whom was an army vet and he said he smelled cordite so that agrees with your theory.

If that's true, then it's bad for everyone that happens to load their own ammunition. Those type of folks don't normally appreciate getting investigated by the government. In that case, everyone that's bought black powder is going to come under scrutiny, which would be ironic if this terrorist act was done out of anti-government sentiments.

I can't stand fucking cowardly acts like these. The only consolation is that whoever did this won't be sleeping soundly until they're caught.

 

[mattttherman3]

You know, you feel bad for those involved, but the stuff that makes me madder than the attacks themselves are: 1. 24 hour constant news coverage making the weak scared and glorifying the whole thing. These things happen every day somewhere in the world. 2: The conspiracy theorists come out of the woodwork. Not 1 hour after the news broke some ass hole posted this on a friends facebook when she asked why it happened:

"Because the world needs to be destabilized enough for them to place draconian/tryannical laws. Did you know the police were running a training drill today for the exact same bombing? Did you know they were doing the same thing on 9/11, the same thing in the London bombings? Kind of coincidence that at each of these 'terrorist' attacks, the police were at the time doing a 'training drill' for the EXACT thing that happened in real life....

Please don't think I am being callous to the people who have lost loved ones or have ones that are harmed by this. My heart breaks for them, especially when one realizes these attacks are not done by 'terrorists' but with the approval and backing of our governments."

I'm sorry, but what kind of evidence is that?! Never-mind that he didn't bother citing sources. Just look at 9/11 footage, even after the first plane hit you don't see any first responders for a few minutes. Now as for today? Big event always equals police presence, what a fucking tool.

 

[xDarc]

The conspiracy theorists come out of the woodwork.

While I agree you should be posting conspiracy theories in response to someone's question about why this might happen; what do you think is going to happen if the guy who did this turns out to be connected to right wing patriot groups? The government does not let a crisis go to waste, they're only going to use that outcome as a reason to further their restriction of our rights.

So why the disgust with conspiracy theories? Just when their gun control movement begins to stall, terrorist attack on Tax Day, Patriot's Day in Boston, home of the Tea Party. The significance of the date/location/target is usually not coincidental, that's why media is speculating about right wing extremists already.

 

[Weaver]

While this is going to be considered cynical of me in light of what is a terrible event, I'm hoping the US government will realize spending billions and billions of dollars into homeland security is completely pointless when you can't thwart a domestic bombing.

I just hope it's taken as a sign to relax civilian monitoring due to its fruitless nature instead of increase it.

 

[Lionsfan]

While this is going to be considered cynical of me in light of what is a terrible event, I'm hoping the US government will realize spending billions and billions of dollars into homeland security is completely pointless when you can't thwart a domestic bombing.

I just hope it's taken as a sign to relax civilian monitoring due to its fruitless nature instead of increase it.

Yeah....that's not going to happen. If anything, there's probably going to be even more security around things

 

[CrazyGirl17]

*SIGH* And this is part of the reason why I don't like people.

My prayers go to the injured, and hopefully they'll catch whoever's responsible...

 

[Ithera]

Soooooo many people in one place, easy pickings for any aspiring Terrorist. A sad day indeed.

 

[Olas]

Jesus mother of god, why? This is just crazy.

It's more than just that. Today is tax day in the US, and apparently in Boston it's also Patriot day, a local holiday. The race was dedicated to the Sandy hook victims, and had parents of the survivors victims in attendance. If you know anything about our fringe right wingers (and I mean way out there, not your garden variety republicans), that sounds like the kind of symbolism they'd go for.

Tax Day, Patriot Day, yeah, those are the kind of things I could see our extreme right wing fringe staging an attack during.

An attack on the Boston Marathon, however, not so much.

If it were a federal building, or a major international event (yes, the marathon has an international element, but it's still the Boston Marathon) then I'd consider it a lot more likely.

I don't know much about the Boston Marathon, but to point out the somewhat obvious, the explosion(s) occurred in an area that was surrounded by flags of other other countries. This whole thing wreaks of BS right wing political statement.

The worst part is (like with recent shootings) this will more likely trigger more attacks. It just feels like our whole country is going to hell.

 

[DJ_DEnM]

Cell phones access shut down across Boston to prevent "remotely detonated devices going off" apparently.

Yeah, that's covered in the updates Spoiler tab.

Why would you spoiler the updates? Who does that help?

I don't know what to say. This is horrible. I hope there aren't more hidden devices.

I think the cops found a third one.

I did it in an attempt to make the post smaller. Thanks for your criticism, I'll remove the spoiler tags.

Spoiler old content. Not the new stuff. That will clean up your post.

Or, here's another thought: I'll organize my post as I please as long as it doesn't break the rules.

 

[ResonanceSD]

I just hope it's taken as a sign to relax civilian monitoring due to its fruitless nature instead of increase it.

Christ, are you aiming for optimist of the millennium? It's a reactionary country at best, when it's not being pre-emptively heavy handed.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Seems random, excessive and entirely unnecessary to target runners and spectators of a relatively minor event unless the motivations were simply to cause wanton violence and fear. Really wondering here what the real reasons are on this, and who did it for that matter. Was obviously a terrorist action considering that un-detonated explosive(?) devices were found and subsequently dismantled after the explosions at other locations, but I can't help but feel that more is on the way.

All in all, this was sudden and I'm still perplexed.
Goes without saying that it's a horrible thing that has happened, beyond horrible if you're actually connected to the event. Hope those affected get well in time, to the best of their ability. Going to keep an eye on the news.

Same. Tearing two people to shreds and injuring some twenty more in a marathon doesn't quite feel terrorist-like to me. Unless the Boston Marathon was perceived by someone as some kind of symbol, of course. This is just a random joe's opinion, of course, but I'm inching towards domestic terrorism too. It's some crackpot for sure.

Truly horrendous stuff. I hope those responsible eat a few consecutive life sentences in the face.

 

[Mrkillhappy]

Well shit my heart goes out to those effected by today's events. Hopefully events such as this don't become more common at large international events such as this.

 

[spartan231490]

There are a few things that make me think this will come out as a domestic attack from a homegrown militant patriot group. Today is the deadline to file your taxes. We are also hearing that there was some observance of events in Newtown at the start of today's event. Most reporting states at least 3 dead with dozens injured.

Then why target the Boston Marathon? Why not an IRS, or other, government building? Why not a crowded subway station in D.C.? To pick a marathon in Boston seems an odd choice of targets for terrorists and activists both.

I have friends and some relatives in Boston. I hope they're all OK. Physically I mean. No way they're getting out of this one without some emotional scars.

It was probably a work of domestic terrorists. The bombs were too ineffective to be anything other than homemade. I hope they catch the bastards soon and execute them in public.

Homemade bombs can be quite effective. I mean, IEDs can take out armored vehicles. A truck bomb on a military base killed over 240 marines in Lebanon 1983. One "ineffective" homemade bomb did all that.

If they catch the people responsible I hope they don't even show their faces on TV. MAYBE their names, but nothing more. They don't need television and news outlets turning them into "Antiheroes" or some messed up shit. Just doesn't seem to end.

ESPECIALLY if they did it over political issues. I know that we shouldnt be speculating, but today is Tax Day, and before the race started they said it was going to be run in honor of the Newtown shooting, with family of those killed in the VIP seats. This CANT be a coincidence.

Why not? Stranger things have happened. And Like I said, it's an odd target for a political bombing.

Seems random, excessive and entirely unnecessary to target runners and spectators of a relatively minor event unless the motivations were simply to cause wanton violence and fear. Really wondering here what the real reasons are on this, and who did it for that matter. Was obviously a terrorist action considering that un-detonated explosive(?) devices were found and subsequently dismantled after the explosions at other locations, but I can't help but feel that more is on the way.

All in all, this was sudden and I'm still perplexed.
Goes without saying that it's a horrible thing that has happened, beyond horrible if you're actually connected to the event. Hope those affected get well in time, to the best of their ability. Going to keep an eye on the news.

Even if that was their goal a run is still an odd target. Remember all the bombings in late 2001/2002, almost all of them targeted transit. Big crowds and confined spaces mean large casualties, and it scares people more than targeting an event. If you target an event, it's isolated from the people. If you target their morning commute, they'll spend the next few months or years wondering if today will be another random bombing on their subway, or at their favorite restaurant, ect. Even if they were trying to hit the crowds from the event, they could have targeted transit in the hours leading up to the event, they get all the crowds and the benefit of hitting transit.

all in all, I think it's too early to speculate on the cause/perpetrators, especially with the strange target choice.

 

[jab136]

If they catch the people responsible I hope they don't even show their faces on TV. MAYBE their names, but nothing more. They don't need television and news outlets turning them into "Antiheroes" or some messed up shit. Just doesn't seem to end.

ESPECIALLY if they did it over political issues. I know that we shouldnt be speculating, but today is Tax Day, and before the race started they said it was going to be run in honor of the Newtown shooting, with family of those killed in the VIP seats. This CANT be a coincidence.

four days from now is also the 20 year anniversary of Waco, and the 18 year anniversary of Oklahoma city. could just be coincidence though.
Edited year counts, feel dumb right now seeing as I was in oklahoma city 18 years ago

 

[tangoprime]

The conspiracy theorists come out of the woodwork.

While I agree you should be posting conspiracy theories in response to someone's question about why this might happen; what do you think is going to happen if the guy who did this turns out to be connected to right wing patriot groups? The government does not let a crisis go to waste, they're only going to use that outcome as a reason to further their restriction of our rights.

So why the disgust with conspiracy theories? Just when their gun control movement begins to stall, terrorist attack on Tax Day, Patriot's Day in Boston, home of the Tea Party. The significance of the date/location/target is usually not coincidental, that's why media is speculating about right wing extremists already.

On the flip side of that, if it wasn't domestic, who's to say we'll get the actual story if it doesn't fit the proper narrative, like with Benghazi. It's getting more and more difficult to figure out where to even get information any longer. I live in Texas, and the only national/world news I pay any attention to any longer are BBC, Sky, and occasionally Reuters.

 

[tangoprime]

Even if that was their goal a run is still an odd target. Remember all the bombings in late 2001/2002, almost all of them targeted transit. Big crowds and confined spaces mean large casualties, and it scares people more than targeting an event. If you target an event, it's isolated from the people. If you target their morning commute, they'll spend the next few months or years wondering if today will be another random bombing on their subway, or at their favorite restaurant, ect. Even if they were trying to hit the crowds from the event, they could have targeted transit in the hours leading up to the event, they get all the crowds and the benefit of hitting transit.

all in all, I think it's too early to speculate on the cause/perpetrators, especially with the strange target choice.

Unless you consider that they were hitting this target due to the sheer amount of news coverage. It's horrible hearing about it and seeing aftermath footage and a grainy cell cam vid or two- but to see the blast itself from many angles by news cameras, and people's immediate reactions, and the injuries right there in your face, with national and international coverage already right on scene to start broadcasting it (before it can be censored)... to some that would do something like this, it may seem like it would serve their end better than simply going for maximum bodycount.

 

[Happiness Assassin]

When I heard about this attack, I realized that I wasn't even surprised anymore by this kind of stuff. My heart goes out to the victims and their families.

 

[chadachada123]

Probably just some sociopath looking to kill people.

I see absolutely no reason yet to suspect it to be terrorism related.

(Remember, of course, that terrorism requires the intent to instill fear in others). I expect it to end up being some jaded guy that finally realized that you can kill far more people with explosives than with firearms, if you're competent.

Edit: Oh, yeah, it's tax day. This would certainly be the day for someone that has nowhere left to turn to pull something like this off.

 

[KingWein22]

I get the feeling this is gonna add fuel to politician's "this is why video games are bad" ammo.

My heart goes out to all affected. Thoughts and prayers to family and friends of the victims.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

I'm guessing it's some punk who wants to be remembered like the kids from Columbine.
Killing a bunch of people in mid-April, targeting the families/survivors of Newton?

Oh, yeah. You're going to be remembered for quite some time.

Think of it. The Boston Tax Day Bombing.

Has a nice memorable ring to it.