What's going on in Boston?

[Blarghagh]

None of my news networks are reporting anything. I heard something about loss of life and limb?

 

EDIT: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/us/explosions-reported-at-site-of-boston-marathon.html?_r=0

 

2 Explosions at the finish of the Boston Marathon. Unknown cause thus far. So far dozens wounded reported and 3 casualties.

Edited April 15, 2013 by TrueNeutral

[LadyCrimson]

....since I follow mostly Red Sox fans, you can imagine what my Twitter feed looks like right now.

It's on all the networks right now. I'm definitely interested to know the cause. The video I saw didn't look much like fire...some kind of pressure explosion perhaps?

[Malcador]

Apparently two homemade bombs went off.   Sad.

[Tsuga C]

Ball bearings have been reported as being part of the devices that blew up, so this was no accidental pair of explosions. So, care to speculate on the nature of the terrorist(s)? At least two are dead, a couple dozen injured.

[Volourn]

"So, care to speculate on the nature of the terrorist(s)?"

 

What's tom speculate? their nature is they are scumbag pieces of ****.

[Malcador]

Could be homegrown wackos.

[LadyCrimson]

Supposedly some packages that didn't explode have been found or suspected. Ah well....I'll check in again later when they have more clear info. Just hope that's the end of it and there aren't any more actual explosions.

 

boston globe liveblog/notes link: http://live.boston.com/Event/Live_blog_Explosion_in_Copley_Square

[Tsuga C]

Recent video from Boston.

[Labadal]

Just saw it on the news. I was walking by the living room when my dad says: A bomb exploded in Boston, two dead, about 20 injured. Messed up stuff going on in this world.

[babaganoosh13]

One would think that the security sweeps before such a huge event would have uncovered them, if they were planted then. I would think that there would be a lot of cameras around to catch who did this if it happened while the event was taking place.

 

Hopefully the rest of the injured people make it through this.

[Tsuga C]

Evidently a Saudi national has been detained as a suspect at a local hospital (4:55pm update).

[Blodhemn]

Maybe the President will break it down for us, being a bomb expert and all.

[LadyCrimson]

I missed that speech...clicked the YT link and he was just finishing. Course, the TV news will repeat it a zillion times, so I guess I'll move out to that room for a minute.

[Orogun01]

Well, I'm more relieved now that I found that the only friend I have in Boston is safe and all of his family & friends are as well.
He lives 5 miles away from where the incident took place and during the course of the conversation I heard the sirens of passing fire trucks.

[Hurlshort]

This is tragic, but it does sound like law enforcement was able to isolate even more explosive devices and avoid even more deaths.  The numbers are still coming in, sadly with such a high injury rate I imagine the death toll will continue to climb.

 

Before we start pointing fingers over this senseless violence, I think this quote from Mr. Rogers is important:

 

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Evidently a Saudi national has been detained as a suspect at a local hospital (4:55pm update).

 

The police have, at least from what I've read and seen, said that this was a false report and they've not got anyone in custody. 

[mkreku]

Why a marathon? Maybe it was a secret coalition of very jealous fat people who planted the bombs?

[Walsingham]

My predictions are:

 

1. Poorly mixed, or partly separated ANFO devices - red core to explosion, lots of smoke, suggests combustion

2. Al Qaeda aligned group - multiple time staggered devices. Possibly just inspired by, but improbable.

3. Director of group is US national - significance of Boston to US independence

4. They will be caught - Boston FBI are **** hot at counter-terror and org. crime.

[Gorgon]

This will be the first Al Qaeda act in the US since 11/9 (that is how you write dates properly I don't care) if that is the case.

 

As usual they depend on the press to provide the drama.  Maybe that's a blessing in disguise as they don't need to kill very many people for this to make headlines the next few days.

In fact it would be problematic if all the pagentry and imagery of ambulances and police investigations died down quickly as that might promt another attack.

[Walsingham]

This will be the first Al Qaeda act in the US since 11/9 (that is how you write dates properly I don't care) if that is the case.

 

As usual they depend on the press to provide the drama.  Maybe that's a blessing in disguise as they don't need to kill very many people for this to make headlines the next few days.

In fact it would be problematic if all the pagentry and imagery of ambulances and police investigations died down quickly as that might promt another attack.

 

I follow your logic, but I doubt there would be another attack quickly, even without media coverage. Quite apart from the simple logistics of building bombs, AlQ standing orders are to go underground after an attack. Disappear off the grid as fast as possible. *

 

Not that low media coverage is imaginable in the US blood and bullets media culture. High competition seems to drive every media source to swarm (The Long Tail notwithstanding).

 

One further thought struck me: Sunni based KFQs in Iraq regularly attack Shia pilgrim processions. I wonder if there might be an inspirational parrallel.

 

* I don't if you can still get them, but after 9/11 the net was awash with AlQ training manuals. I DO NOT advise looking for these online or holding a copy. Ask someone you know in law enforcement if you can read one. DO NOT share any copies. It's very probably an offence, whatever country you live in.

[Amentep]

Wasn't former regular poster Slowtrain from Boston?  I seem to remember him talking about the Boston sewer system and train system at one point.  I know he doesn't post regularly (last in march), but anyone heard from him?

[Guard Dog]

From what I'm reading the bomb was a somewhat amateurish build despite the number of injuries it caused. The current thinking is that is was more likely one or two a******s working alone rather than an organized attack. So far a number of groups have disavowed responsibility. I wonder if this is another incident like that Adal Hassan guy in Texas? Whoever it was needs to be hunted down like the vermin they are... and they will be.

[Meshugger]

My guess is a wannabe, either an Al-Qaeda or a Ted Kaczynski one. Still, the cruelty of the attack is despicable.

[Walsingham]

My guess is a wannabe, either an Al-Qaeda or a Ted Kaczynski one. Still, the cruelty of the attack is despicable.

 

I'm not sure cruelty is the word, as much as I loath it. the phenomenon of the Lone Fethwit has surely revealed these dogbiscuits are just generically angry rather than cruel.

 

Note to self: I'm really getting the hang of not swearing.

 

Edit: This does not apply when gaming. Without forethought I actually used the following exclamation last week:

 

"Oh, so it's a fight you want, is it, lizard t*ts? Well let's see how you like this, you pathetic c**kbasket!"

 

(edited by witness)

Edited April 16, 2013 by Walsingham

[Gorgon]

He used very small pellets for shrapnel which is why there are so many wounded and so few fatalities. Of course one can't know if this was a deliberate strategy. They were also very small devices and possibly just not capable of killing anyone not in the immediate vicinity.