Two explosions at Boston marathon finish line

[General Patton]

I'm lazy and don't feel like typing this out so I'm just going to quote:
http://www.gwern.net/Terrorism%20is%20n ... t%20Terror

Why hasn't anyone taken credit for the bombings?

Since the emergence of modern terrorism in 1968, 64% of worldwide terrorist attacks have been carried out by unknown perpetrators. Anonymous terrorism has been rising, with 3 out of 4 attacks going unclaimed since September 11, 2001. Anonymous terrorism is particularly prevalent in Iraq, where the US military has struggled to determine whether the violence was perpetrated by Shiite or Sunni groups with vastly different political platforms.

But the bombing didn't accomplish anything and the only one that benefits from it is the government. Why would someone blow something up if they didn't have a rational reason for it?

So, then, what is the explanation for such self-defeating, irrational actions? Can we explain the self-defeating as deliberate, due perhaps to false flag attacks? No; even if false flag attacks were more common than everyone believes and made up - a universal century-long strategy of tension in every country (despite the absence of evidence) - say 20% of the scores of thousands of terrorist attacks in the 20th & 21st centuries, that still leaves countless organizations & terrorists inexplicably incompetent

There is comparatively strong theoretical and empirical evidence that people become terrorists not to achieve their organization’s declare political agenda, but to develop strong affective ties with other terrorist members. In other words, the preponderance of evidence is that people participate in terrorist organizations for the social solidarity, not for their political return.

It's obviously eco-extremist muslim white nationalists. There must be a demographic for each terrorist action because each action is a rational act.

Studies by psychologist Ariel Merari point to the importance of institutions in suicide terrorism (28). His team interviewed 32 of 34 bomber families in Palestine/Israel (before 1998), surviving attackers, and captured recruiters. Suicide terrorists apparently span their population’s normal distribution in terms of education, socioeconomic status, and personality type (introvert vs. extrovert). Mean age for bombers was early twenties. Almost all were unmarried and expressed religious belief before recruitment (but no more than did the general population). Except for being young, unattached males, suicide bombers differ from members of violent racist organizations with whom they are often compared (29: R. Ezekiel, The Racist Mind). Overall, suicide terrorists exhibit no socially dysfunctional attributes (fatherless, friendless, or jobless) or suicidal symptoms. They do not vent fear of enemies or express hopelessness or a sense of nothing to lose for lack of life alternatives that would be consistent with economic rationality. Merari attributes primary responsibility for attacks to recruiting organizations, which enlist prospective candidates from this youthful and relatively unattached population. Charismatic trainers then intensely cultivate mutual commitment to die within small cells of three to six members. The final step before a martyrdom operation is a formal social contract, usually in the form of a video testament.

Thanks, I'll be here to beat up strawmen all week.

[stefano]

Two days later, and still no one has claimed responsibility. Odd, I find. It's also made me reject the false flag theory, as a patsy would have been set up by now, or some clues at least would have come to light. Maybe this wasn't 'terror' in the more classic political sense, committed by an organised group with a stated goal, but a different expression of the murderous fever that more commonly shows up as spree killings?

Here's a story about homemade bombs showing up a month ago in Hanover, a suburb of Boston:

The first incident was reported at 8:34 p.m. on March 12. Police and fire personnel responded to the area of Pine Street and Tower Hill Drive. Witnesses at the nearby Target store on Washington Street reported seeing a bright flash and hearing two explosions from that area.

Several unexploded devices were found at the scene and later detonated under secure conditions by the State Police Bomb Squad.

The second incident was a few days later at 7:49 p.m. on March 15. The second incident was near the first, in the area of Hearthstone and Fieldstone lanes. The area was searched but no explosives were found.

Edit - cross-posted with General P, interesting about how many attacks go unclaimed, didn't know that. But the sectarian wars in Iraq aren't really the same category of thing as two smallish bombs planted at a public event, where the publicity of it is the main concern?

[NeonLX]

On edit: tasteless B.S. removed.

[Luther Blissett]

Here's a link to some pretty top-notch reddit sleuthing:
http://www.reddit.com/r/inthenews/comme ... ?context=3

Their focus here is narrowing in on two young Middle Eastern-looking men, Syrian, Turkish, or Lebanese to my untrained eyes. I'm not so sure I'm on board with them.

There certainly has been a lot of terrorism since 9/11: http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/p ... -the-right

[Luther Blissett]

Here are the two images showing the two men in question. One is in all black with a white baseball hat, and the other is in a royal blue track jacket. The rather laden backpack appears to be missing in the second photo, where the pair can be seen in the bottom right corner.

[barracuda]

I'm doubtful that backpack contains a six-liter pressure cooker. I think we're looking for duffle bags, not backpacks.

[thurnundtaxis]

Here are the two images showing the two men in question. One is in all black with a white baseball hat, and the other is in a royal blue track jacket. The rather laden backpack appears to be missing in the second photo, where the pair can be seen in the bottom right corner.

4chan think tank thread with those images here: http://imgur.com/a/sUrnA

[MinM]

Internet sites like 4Chan & Redditt have been flooded with pictures of the Boston Marathon after Tuesday's Terror Attack.

But this pic seems to be the best lead that crowdsourcing investigation has led to.

http://www.1045snx.com/pages/kruze.html ... z2Qk15gD9B

[Luther Blissett]

Well, thats probably not the blast site. Did the bomb really originate from within that bag?

[MinM]

Well, thats probably not the blast site. Did the bomb really originate from within that bag?

Not sure but here's a better image...

[General Patton]

RT Suspect In Custody
http://rt.com/usa/boston-bombing-identi ... spect-014/

Law enforcement officials in Boston tell reporters that they may have identified the suspect thought responsible for Monday’s deadly bombing that has so far claimed three lives.

Just after 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday, CNN reported that a suspect has apparently been identified, but no other details have been released at this time. It is unknown as to whether or not the suspect has been detained, and his name has not been made public as of this time, but he is reportedly a dark-skinned male, according to police.

According to CNN’s sources, surveillance video from a Lord and Taylor department store and a local television station are believed to have helped authorities identify the person sought responsible for Monday’s incident, which US President Barack Obama said on Tuesday is being investigated as an act of terror.

CNN’s John King reports from Boston that the video footage helped police narrow in on a person being considered a suspect in the attack “to such detail, I’m told, that they believe they have a clear identification, including a facial image of a suspect.”

The footage, sources say, show the suspect carrying and perhaps placing down a black bag that is thought to have contained one of the two bombs that detonated near the finish line of the annual Boston Marathon just before 3 p.m. on Monday.

The mayor of Boston, Massachusetts has confirmed that a suspect was ID’d.

[nashvillebrook]

Link to CNN article saying anon law enforcement officials are saying they have ID'd a suspect:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/boston-blasts/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[FourthBase]

Well, here we go. "Authorities have identified a suspect", singular so far.
Keep those balls in the air, folks. Bark at more than one tree.

Never let it be said that 4chan is useless. God love 'em.
Those pics suggest at least two, up to six suspects.
They might have all been cells/individuals unaware of each other!
They might also just be some innocent dudes.

"They believe it was a sole person, no more than one or two." - WHDH
Mmm-hmm. Hope the law and media don't think Bostonians will suffer horseshit.
Actually, I do hope they think that. The more likely we'll catch them.

Again, it may very well be a crazy lone wolf, and a buddy, etc. Whatever.
I just have my doubts. Our doubts. And boy, are they stubborn doubts.

[General Patton]

"Lone wolf" assassinations and bombings are quite rare, there is usually some sort of support network even if it is passive. The sudden spike in suspicious packages showing up at the same time also suggests that it's a group effort.

AJ has been crediting the finding of the suspect to 4chan. FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force was in Boston at around ~3:30pm central yesterday according to the scanners, so if they couldn't piece that much together before 4chan did, well shit.

[nashvillebrook]

from the CNN piece: "Investigators believe they have identified a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, a source who has been briefed on the investigation told CNN's John King exclusively."

that the info was leaked *exclusively* to CNN is itself problematic. shows lack of discretion.

on edit -- the "exclusive" to CNN might be CNN marketing itself. The Boston Globe has the same information without CNN attribution, so it's clearly not exclusive to CNN. Looks like they're prepping a statement for this afternoon. Here's the BG article...

http://www.bostonglobe.com/2013/04/17/boston-medical-center-reports-five-year-old-boy-critical-condition-victims-treated-from-boston-marathon-bombings/UiktKly60y4m8UVHeNu8NP/story.html

An official briefed on the Boston Marathon bombing investigation said today that authorities have an image of a suspect carrying, and perhaps dropping, a black bag at the second bombing scene on Boylston Street, outside of the Forum restaurant. Investigators are “very close” in the investigation, said the official, who declined to be named.

That official said authorities may publicize their finding as early as this afternoon.

The same official also said a surveillance camera at Lord & Taylor, located directly across the street, has provided clear video of the area, though it was unclear whether the image of the suspect was taken from that camera.

Authorities planned to brief the media on the progress of the investigation at 5 p.m. today.

WCVB is reporting that an arrest is imminent, and the "unnamed source" is speaking on the "condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to publicly discuss evidence in the ongoing investigation."

http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/metro/-Lord-Taylor-video-leads-to-identification-of-Boston-Marathon-bombing-suspect/-/11971628/19778450/-/idadl6/-/index.html#ixzz2QkDFNZJd

A source tells NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu that Boston authorities believe they have identified a suspect in bombings. A source tells NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu that Boston authorities believe they have identified a suspect in bombings. The arrest of the man is imminent or may have already taken place."