2 explosions at the finish line at the Boston Marathon.

[landofsoapandglory]

BBC have it as news at the moment.

Sky also have it.

One person dead according to Sky on the TV.

Dreaming, 17 questions my arse
I love you right now.

Nicholas, the answer you are looking for is no.

Bread: do you really expect a murderous, evil lunatic to act rationally?

Where were the conspiracy theorists when the PIRA were bombing and killing innocents? Why, just because it is happening in America do all the loons come out of the closet?

'Where were the conspiracy theorists when the PIRA were bombing and killing innocents? Why, just because it is happening in America do all the loons come out of the closet?'

Most of teh world's conspiracy theorists are in America. They have a tradition of free speech and have had years of looking into conspiracies from the JFK assassination and before. That is why there are so many conspiracy theories if something happens in America in particular.

There are conspiracy theories about the IRA, but you probably have not heard of them, because there are fewer conspiracy theorists and fewer radio stations and blogs than there are in America.

[[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-388110/McGuinness-accused-British-spy.html]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-180324/IRA-rocked-double-agent-revelation.html

Clickable link is

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-388110/McGuinness-accused-British-spy.html

You won't hear many conspiracy theories on BBC Radio 5 Live with Nicky Campbell et al, but in America there are tens of thousands of independent radio stations which discuss politics and also conspiracy theories.

Dallas - I suppose that yes, I do expect a "murderous, evil lunatic to act rationally" - maybe that's me being irrational or maybe that's me not being a "murderous, evil lunatic" - don't know. But just because one's morals are twisted,it doesn't mean one would go out of one's way to be caught...in fact probably the opposite.

As I said, I am working on the time-honoured theory of 'innocent until proven guilty'. As long as the prosecutors are too, that's fine.

I don't doubt that these two men carried out these attacks at all. What I do doubt is the role of the FBI in these events, given that they have lied about knowing the men involved, about there being a bomb drill etc. Why would they do that when it's so easily proven that they have?

breadandbutterfly, when they got to him he had been lying in the boat bleeding, for hours, from the earlier gunshot wounds; then they lobbed shock grenades in; then more shots were exchanged (supposedly)

there is no way he could then have casually climbed out of the boat as shown in that image, whatever some of the captions say!

did they lie about knowing the men involved, Nicholas? afaik it's only the parents who say the FBI were using them, & they are fruitloops whose stories change hourly

the bomb drill thing, if true, is a bit peculiar, I admit. but I have so far only seen reference to that by one marathon participant

Nicholas - obvious reason for lying about knowing them - as it begs the question why they didn't prevent the attacks...

I'm another one who feels very uneasy about this and how the suspect is unlikely to receive a fair trial.

They were known to the FBI, so why did they not just go after them instead of releasing pictures of them asking for help in identifying them?

There is something about the younger brother and all the reports from people who were close to him that just doesn't make sense. Also when you see them in the videos at the marathon, they don't look at all shifty or suspicious. Also just after they walk by with their backpacks there is someone else just behind them with an equally big backpack?? So surely something must have been known, about who they were, to draw attention to them.

What happened was terrible, truly awful so I'm not condoning the act at all. There are some things that I just don't understand.

Whatever the outcome is, I just hope we get the truth and that suspect no. 2 gets a fair trial and that we get the answers that will hopefully shed some light on what actually happened and why.

I remember when the jean Charles de menezes shooting happened. Everyone was convinced he was guilty. In the end it was a case of mistaken identity! All that surveillance and an innocent guy was killed.

THe investigation is ongoing.
Therefore by definition much of the crucial evidence will NOT be in the public domain.
THat is not a conpiracy, it is legal process

and why did the FBI not go for them before they did anything ....
because you have not yet done anything either - would you like the FBI to arreat you 'just in case'

I meant go after them if they recognised them from their previous dealings with them.

I realise it's an ongoing investigation. I really just hope that the truth will out.

I don't mean to offend anyone. I've been following this from the beginning and the info is very sketchy. Maybe it's the style of reporting on the tv news channels.

Craft International, formerly known as Blackwater, private military contractors seen at the Boston marathon. Why were they there and what was in the black rucksacks?

Bomb drills at the start and finish lines, and a controlled explosion drill at the library. There are reports of runners who've seen this only at this event.

Also, the Russians have said they informed the FBI about the elder brother in 2011. The FBI initially denied they knew about that then admitted they'd interviewed him and decided he wasn't a threat. Righto.

It's a fact that this is the first successful terrorist attack on US soil since the twin towers. It's also a fact that the FBI has thwarted at least three other attempts. Another fact is the FBI helped plan those other attempts and intercepted at the right time. Who can say with any certainty they weren't involved in this and took their eye off the ball? Especially given that they lied about knowing the brothers despite proof showing they did.

I went to school at a time when you were given an essay/assignment and told to do it, not like now when you're coached to pass exams. My son has said his education started at uni as he actually had to do his own research. He feels cleverer as a result.

Another fact is the FBI helped plan those other attempts and intercepted at the right time.

evidence, please

Here's one The FBI even drove him to the scene. It's all searchable online (I use Startpage, other search engines are available) and takes but moments.

That is not a fact. That is a (completely nutty) theory.

'It's a fact that this is the first successful terrorist attack on US soil since the twin towers. It's also a fact that the FBI has thwarted at least three other attempts. Another fact is the FBI helped plan those other attempts and intercepted at the right time. Who can say with any certainty they weren't involved in this and took their eye off the ball? Especially given that they lied about knowing the brothers despite proof showing they did.

I went to school at a time when you were given an essay/assignment and told to do it, not like now when you're coached to pass exams. My son has said his education started at uni as he actually had to do his own research. He feels cleverer as a result.'

That's not evidence, that's a link to a website called 'The Daily Sheeple'

Nicholas, you raise a lot of good questions about how people can be led to used as assets in an operation.

I thought for a second that Russia might be behind a bigger obscure scheme.They carried out quite a few brazen operations in the UK in broad daylight in the last few years??

I don't know, something doesn't add up. Am happy that people are raising questions but not sure there are easy answers.

On another point, I find the enemy combatant route shocking.
here
slipping into totalitarian methods with US citizens. In the open glare of the public that is?.

Forget the conspiracies.

Most every legal expert I've heard/read says the evidence against the two as the bombers seems 'overwhelming' due to video footage, still photos, evidence seized from their homes, and the admission of crime made to the car jacking victim. And then of course, there is the issue of the two brothers killing a policeman and wounding another in addition to the shoot out in which they threw bombs / grenades at the police.

In fact, the case is looking to be such a 'slam dunk' (to use an American phrase), there is speculation that the younger brother should hope and pray he is offered a deal by the prosecution (life in prison, most likely) in exchange for cooperating with the investigation (this will likely take the death penalty off the table). Many will argue that a plea deal should not be offered at all though, as this sort of heinous act would be one of the few times a death penalty sentence might be used.

Now Russia is involved? In league with the FBI perhaps? Against whom? Or maybe it's the IRA? Boston is a hotbed of Irishness after all...
Yes, very obscure indeed.

And 'totalitarian methods' because someone has not been read their rights? Rights that only came into existence in 1966 and have since then been modified quite substantially from their original incarnation - brief history of Miranda rights.

Wouldn't put anything past that Vladimir Putin (if that is his real name) -- did you know he was in the KGB?

Noblegiraffe, seeing as you distrust non MSM, The New York Times reporting the same.

From the New York Times article: "the F.B.I. had been tracking Mr. Mohamud since 2009 and his planning unfolded under the scrutiny and even assistance of undercover agents, officials said."

From the same article: " His case resembles several others in which American residents, inspired by militant Web sites, have tried to carry out attacks in the name of the militant Islamic movement only to be captured in a sting operation.

In a similar case in September 2009, a 19-year-old Jordanian was arrested after placing a fake bomb at a 60-story Dallas skyscraper. The same month, a 29-year-old Muslim convert was charged with placing a bomb at the federal building in Springfield, Ill. And in October, a 34-year-old naturalized American citizen born in Pakistan was arrested and charged with plotting to bomb the Washington subway after meeting with undercover agents and discussing his plans and surveillance activities."

The evidence is not overwhelming at all.

Teakozy, I am loving your link of secret 'mercenaries' all wearing an obvious uniform of beige trousers and a black jacket.

More photos here
imgur.com/a/YrTOK

Because they are the National Guard Civil Support team, not a private army. Not surprising to see them at a major event like a marathon.

Earlybird - maybe the evidence will turn out to be overwhelming once openly presented. But what we have been shown so far does not overwhelm me so far with its inherent logic - somewhat the reverse.

Interestingly, the Mail today reports - in terms of mock 'disgust' that the younger brother now has a large support group in favour of his innocence. They are also openly reporting many of the allegations made here that things have been 'fixed' in some way. In typical Daily Mail style they are reported these things as 'dreadful' but in that way they have where they say that but you get the feeling they are saying that to prompt their readers to disagree? (eg same tone they used when reporting about Samantha Brick - supposedly in agreement with her views but actually trying to get the audience to hate her).

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2313303/Dzhokhar-Tsarnaev-innocent-Facebook-page-attracts-11-000-fans-worldwide.html

So I'm totally lost - no idea why the Mail is reporting this stuff or why they seem to be wanting to open eyes to holes in the official story. Or is the official story just too obviously hole-y that there is no way of presenting it that doesn't look weird??