Explosion at Boston Marathon

[Keith B]

I'm having trouble making sense of this. If your goal is to hurt as many people as possible, why put the explosives in a pressure cooker? Why put that inside a trash can? Wouldn't both containers lessen the impact of the explosion?

The pressure cooker is the container that allows the explosive to build pressure. Think of the difference with ignited black powder that is open, or powder that is rolled tightly in paper to make an M-80 or stick of dynamite. My understanding is the pressure cookers were placed in black plastic trash bags and put in the trash can. My guess is that was just a disguise.

[jmra]

I'm having trouble making sense of this. If your goal is to hurt as many people as possible, why put the explosives in a pressure cooker? Why put that inside a trash can? Wouldn't both containers lessen the impact of the explosion?

I know nothing about bombs, but I thought I read that the pressure cooker was secured to a board and the projectiles were in another container secured to the same board. The pressure cooker was used as a container for the explosives. Some type of blasting cap would be placed on the top of the pressure cooker. The purpose of putting the the projectiles in another container outside the pressure cooker would be for "aiming" purposes. (Put projectiles to the south side of the pressure cooker - projectiles travel south)

From a Time article
Typically, these bombs are made by placing TNT or other explosives in a pressure cooker and attaching a blasting cap at the top of the pressure cooker. The size of the blast depends on the size of the pressure cooker and the amount of explosive placed inside.

Pressure cooker bombs are made with readily available materials and can be as simple or as complex as the builder decides. These types of devices can be initiated using simple electronic components including, but not limited to, digital watches, garage door openers, cell phones or pagers. As a common cooking utensil, the pressure cooker is often overlooked when searching vehicles, residences or merchandise crossing the U.S. Borders


Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2013/04/16/a- ... z2Qgc0cQLG

[philip964]

Its very hard to not jump to some kind of conclusion too early. A lot of times your conclusion is biased reached. I'm wanting it to not be a white guy who is a CHL from Texas and who thinks the current administration is over reaching their authority. The guys on MSNBC want it desperately for it to be that exact guy.

..........

http://www.salon.com/2013/04/16/lets_ho ... _american/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And the people from salon.com They just come out and say it.

[K.Mooneyham]

I would expect that a true extreme right-wing terrorist would try and blow up something governmental in nature, not a random group of folks at a sporting event like that. Blowing up random Americans just to do it seems like more of an Al Qaeda type of thing. Of course, I don't go around trying to blow folks up, so its just speculation on my part.

[Keith B]

I would expect that a true extreme right-wing terrorist would try and blow up something governmental in nature, not a random group of folks at a sporting event like that. Blowing up random Americans just to do it seems like more of an Al Qaeda type of thing. Of course, I don't go around trying to blow folks up, so its just speculation on my part.

Not necessarily. The Atlanta Olympic Park bomb was placed by Eric Rudolph who was a right wing anti-abortion protester.

[mamabearCali]

What I don't get is how this admin says "this was an isolated incident no national threat" and at the same times says the case is wide open and they have no idea who did it. If you don't know you don't know.

I swear they are in unicorn and rainbow land at the White house.

[G26ster]

Fox news just reported suspect arrested - due in court soon.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/17/fb ... wide-open/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mamabearCali]

Now we find out if it is a Patsy (like the Egyptian videographer) or if they have the piece of whatever that did this.

[VMI77]

What I don't get is how this admin says "this was an isolated incident no national threat" and at the same times says the case is wide open and they have no idea who did it. If you don't know you don't know.

I swear they are in unicorn and rainbow land at the White house.

On a site where photo analysis is posted I saw a screen capture of an anonymous post from someone claiming to be in law enforcement. It's probably nonsense, someone trying to give their own claims an aura of authority, but not entirely implausible. He said there would be a suspect arrested on Friday, he'd be in his teens or early 20s, that a search of his residence would turn up an affiliation with the NRA, he would have guns, gun powder and reloading components, and that subsequently a Bill would be quickly introduced to limit or ban sales of gunpowder and to limit sales of ammunition.

Whatever the credibility of the post, I don't at all doubt that if gunpowder is determined to be the explosive substance used in the bomb, that the liberals will use it as pretext to ban reloading and limit ammo sales.

Edited to add:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/a-warni ... xplosions/

Guns America says the above claim comes from a Bloomberg shill. Won't be long before we know for sure.

[VMI77]

Fox news just reported suspect arrested - due in court soon.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/17/fb ... wide-open/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I still remember Richard Jewell and the attorney they accused of being involved in the terrorist attack in Madrid, so I'm not holding my breath.

Edited to add:

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/17/us/bo ... ?hpt=hp_t2

There is conflicting information as to whether someone has been arrested in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings. A federal law enforcement source told CNN's Fran Townsend that someone was arrested. But later, two senior administration officials and another federal official told Townsend that there had been a misunderstanding among officials and that no one has been arrested.

[G26ster]

Now there are conflicting reports of "arrest" and "no arrest." Guess we'll just wait and see.

[The Annoyed Man]

Boston courthouse just evacuated: http://livewire.wcvb.com/Event/117th_Ru ... n_Marathon
http://news.yahoo.com/security-officers ... wAcZbQtDMD

[Keith B]

Boston courthouse just evacuated: http://livewire.wcvb.com/Event/117th_Ru ... n_Marathon
http://news.yahoo.com/security-officers ... wAcZbQtDMD

Probably a bomb threat

[The Annoyed Man]

FBI tells media to FACT CHECK before reporting on the story: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/fbi ... 17983.html

[The Annoyed Man]

Video shows spectators trying to steal official gear/memorabilia right after the blasts: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/22002960/o ... z2QjtrdERJ