Explosions at the Boston Marathon

[Wilfrid]

There are professional journalists this morning saying that this is the "type" of violence we've seen from Chechens before.

[Lex]

NY Times -

 

As the manhunt grew in intensity, law enforcement officials throughout New England tried to chase down leads.

 

The authorities in Boston notified transit police officials that there was a possibility the surviving suspect had boarded the last Amtrak train from Boston bound for New York City in the early morning on Friday, according to an official with knowledge of the matter.

 

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police, which has authority over the tracks in New York and Connecticut, along with the police from Norwalk, Ct., stopped that train between the East Norwalk and Westport, Ct., stations; the Norwalk Police Department’s SWAT team swept the train, but did not find the suspect, the official said. While the authorities believe it was unlikely he was aboard, they were reviewing video surveillance footage from the stations in Providence, New Haven and New London to be sure that the suspect did not get off before the train was stopped and searched.

 

At least one Metro North train, operated by the M.T.A. on the same tracks over which Amtrak travels, was also stopped by the Westport Police for reasons that were unclear, the official said.

 

And the Connecticut State Police announced that it had received information suggesting that the suspect could be operating a gray Honda CRV, with a Massachusetts registration number 316 ES9. “Connecticut troopers are posted strategically in our state and continue to communicate with Massachusetts authorities,” the state police said in a statement.

[Orik]

But aren't the youtube clips meant to encourage this sort of thing, whereas Batman is a work of fiction meant to entertain? The intent of the author/creator matters as well.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not confident that the conclusion the authorities would draw from it being batman or al qaeda is likely to be correct, but they should be different.

 

I don't know how much say the authorities have, or are supposed to have, when it comes to regulating authorial intent. They do seem to act so as to sniff out members of the al qaeda video fan club using sting operations with some regularity, which I guess they haven't really done with Batman fans, as the latter are less likely to seek each other out, organize, get funded, etc.

[splinky]

media are now camped out in front of the suspects' sister's home in nj. really makes one hope that no one in your family ever does anything bad enough to cause the media to give out your name and address and camp out at your door.

[Wilfrid]

Uncle from the family speaking to press: very informative, even though he hasn't seen them for several years. Powerful condemnation of what happened. Very positive statements on U.S. The family are Muslim Chechens. The kids have never been in Chechnya. He doesn't believe this is anything to do with Islam, but emphasizes he hasn't seen them recently.

 

Father is apparently back in Russia (or somewhere).

[splinky]

nbc is reporting that the younger suspect who escaped in watertown became a naturalized citizen just over a year ago on 9/11

[Sneakeater]

Fucking Caucasians.

 

Never up to any good.

[hollywood]

There are professional journalists this morning saying that this is the "type" of violence we've seen from Chechens before.

The reporting on this situation has been so fast and loose. Today, after all the talk about one of the bombs having been made with a pressure cooker, I heard a radio reporter say it had been built using a rice cooker! Really?

[splinky]

There are professional journalists this morning saying that this is the "type" of violence we've seen from Chechens before.

The reporting on this situation has been so fast and loose. Today, after all the talk about one of the bombs having been made with a pressure cooker, I heard a radio reporter say it had been built using a rice cooker! Really?

that must be the central asian connection...

[hollywood]

"At the direction of authorities, select Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in the Boston area are open to take care of the needs of law enforcement and first responders."

[Wilfrid]

[mitchells]

Maybe these guys were plants a la "The Americans."

[splinky]

With hundreds of reporters each seeking a unique scoop, the potential for viral misinformation is pretty high.

wrongly accused

[Rail Paul]

One of the news services was describing the travel patterns of the two suspects. The family has lived in Dagestan, Chechyna, Georgia, Kyrzgstan, and Russia over the years.

 

Although the two young men have mostly lived in the US, they've traveled back and forth over the years, it was reported. The whole area is certainly a cauldron of anti-imperialist, Sunni vs Shia, oil money, unresolved land claims, western Christian vs Orthodox Christian, and a steady market for young men seeking to fight in Bosnia, Libya, Afghanistan, etc.

 

The leader of Chechyna was quoted expressing outrage that "suspect #1" was not taken alive by police. How, exactly, you apprehend a person wearing a suicide vest, firing weapons at you wasn't explained.

[9lives]

To add a little, proposed or existing "gun laws" would have had no impact on this tragedy.

 

The weapons were NOT purcased at a "gun show;" nor were any weapons usedin the aftermath.

 

DD was not delivering food today. Cosi was...which I passed on and had a nice charcuterie plate at home.

 

Boston is what I imagine to be lke a "war zone." Sucks and I went to work without usual nylon backpack and kept my hands in plain sight.

 

No grudge against any ethnic group...sick behavior doesn't discriminate or see color or race.

 

It sucks right now but return to normal soon.