Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
News
Original poster

2 explosions at the finish line at the Boston Marathon.

410 replies

landofsoapandglory · 15/04/2013 20:22

BBC have it as news at the moment.

Sky also have it.

One person dead according to Sky on the TV.

OP posts:
Cantbelieveitsnotbutter · 20/04/2013 03:53

If anyone's watching bbc, how many people are they bringing out to pat themselves on the back and say justice has been served? Surely justice is for the courts?

Al0uise · 20/04/2013 06:22

Islam being a peaceful religion again. The religion of love and peace and we must be careful not to face reality.

GoblinGranny · 20/04/2013 06:49

In exactly the same way that Christianity is a religion of love and peace Al0ise?
The Lord's Resistance army are Christian, the problem is one of fundamentalist extremism and intolerance, whatever the faith.

scaevola · 20/04/2013 07:54

BBC on the capture. The President has said 'there are so many questions unanswered'.

DreamsTurnToGoldDust · 20/04/2013 08:04

Is there 100% proof that he actually is the bomber? Only they pumped a load of bullets into him, he's 19, am I the only one who feels uncomfortable with this?

NotSpartacus · 20/04/2013 08:13

Dreams -
He was there with his brother (see numerous photos)
They had backpacks to start with; then they didn't
His brother has been positively identified by one of the victims who saw him place the bag
And when the police came they apparently started shooting at them (you'd think an innocent person would come out with his hands up).
Seems fairly likely they did it to me.

Personally I think it's pretty good that the police took him alive in the circumstances.

scaevola · 20/04/2013 08:36

It's not been proven that they were the bombers, but the information and pictures released make a good prima facie case. I think it's beyond doubt that they shot and killed a police offer and left another in a critical state in hospital, and that they threw explosives during the first attempted arrest.

Earlybird · 20/04/2013 13:03

According to reports, there is a photo (that was not released by the FBI) that shows one of the men setting down his backpack and striding away. Moments later, the explosion occurred at that exact place. The debris that was found shows that this black backpack contained the bomb.

I think there is little room to doubt that these men were responsible.

VivaLeBeaver · 20/04/2013 13:06

I think if they were innocent they wouldn't have been throwing grenades at the police the other night. Innocent people don't tend to have a stash of grenades on them.

pumpkinsweetie · 20/04/2013 13:37

Innocent, looking at the pictures i very much doubt it. Justice has and will be served

LinusVanPelt · 20/04/2013 13:55

"They pumped a load of bullets into him". Yes, while he was chucking grenades around and carjacking people and shooting at the police.

I feel pretty uncomfortable that he's only nineteen too (though I'm guessing it's his older brother you can blame there, for exploiting his youth and vulnerability to being led way, way out of his depth), and last night while he was being hunted I couldn't help but empathise a bit with how terrified and maybe full of regret he might have felt.

But it's ridiculous to blame the police for the fact that he was injured in the events that he and his brother set in motion. The police did an amazing job, at great risk to themselves, and the kid ended up in the hospital instead if the morgue. What do you think they should have done differently, exactly?!

Moominsarehippos · 20/04/2013 14:09

Assuming they are guilty (always have to assume I suppose), it has to go further than these two though, doesn't it? Someone must have been feeding them the idea/justifications to set off the bombs.

Although there have been cases of one or two teenager/twentysomething going on a killing spree without a religious agenda, just a grudge against society or classmates for perceived snubs.

Again, bombs aside, enough guns and ammo privately owned to hold off the police force.

I was almost in tears when Barak made his speech earlier this week after the gun law fiasco. A lot of people must be hanging their heads in shame now (but I know that they are most likely not).

Moominsarehippos · 20/04/2013 14:14

A 19 year old may have the 'stupidity of youth' but he went out with the idea to kill (Glory, notoriety, legend?) and more than likely knew that they had murdered a child. Did he really think he could escape? Why not give himself up? Scared - well, didn't he think out what might happen? He didn't strap the bomb to himself, so was planning to escape.

noblegiraffe · 20/04/2013 16:09

The pair had already shot dead a policeman before the gunfight hadn't they? I don't think you can blame the police for treating them as extremely dangerous individuals - even if they weren't the bombers, which it seems exceptionally likely that they were.

mathanxiety · 20/04/2013 16:15

The video shows them placing devices filled with small metal bits in a crowd. Only their mother believes they were set up.

It is possible the police operated on the assumption that these individuals would feel they had nothing to lose/ were willing to use suicide bomber tactics in which case stopping them with maximum force if necessary was the obvious way to proceed.

mathanxiety · 20/04/2013 16:24

Their uncle was asked about their motivation and his response was, 'Being losers, hatred to those who were able to settle themselves' - imo this is a very insightful comment.

Moominsarehippos · 20/04/2013 16:41

Their mum thinks they were set up? I'd love to see how that works.

niceguy2 · 20/04/2013 17:14

Pumped a load of bullets into him? They were throwing grenades and shooting back for quite some time. In that context i don't think a few harsh words was really going to cut it!

Moominsarehippos · 20/04/2013 17:38

If someone was lobbing grenades and shooting at me, I'd shoot back (and wouldn't presume that I could get a nice, clean 'wing' shot). Didn't the older brother have some kind of explosive vest on him? Negotiation isn't going to work.

Younger children/teenagers than this are abducted trained to kill for armies/malitias in other parts of the world - just as cold and deadly killers as a 40 year old (worse maybe?).

NicholasTeakozy · 20/04/2013 20:07

A very interesting article not being covered by MSM.

MarvellousYou · 20/04/2013 20:13

Just watching BBC news and the streets were lined with teenagers celebrating the 2nd suspect has been found- anyone else find that a bit distasteful or 'off'. DH thinks I'm weird but it just really felt wrong even if they are relieved. Most of them waving at the cameras

OhYouBadBadKitten · 20/04/2013 20:19

Marvellousyou, not just you. I found it all rather horrifying.

tribpot · 20/04/2013 20:24

I got the impression yesterday it was mostly relief the lockdown was over and to show defiance to the 'organisation' which had attacked them (not that I think there actually was much of an organisation behind these two now?)

One thing that did stick in my throat was one of the interviewees on the Beeb saying 'we want to show that we won't become immune to the effects of attacks like these like you see in other countries'. Er, yeah. The bombs that get tossed about in Iraq may not get as much air time as the ones in Boston but I don't think that means the people there aren't too bothered when they go off.

MarvellousYou · 20/04/2013 20:49

I think maybe it was just the shouts of 'it's over' and the cheering but there are so many people whose lives have been changed forever. It was probably just how the BBC reported it but it got my back up. Glad people feel safer though.

Talkinpeace · 20/04/2013 20:53

The USA has no experience of domestic terrorism in the way that we did with the IRA in the 1970's.
Heightened security in the UK gets a shrug and OK from most people - we 'get' the reason.
The USA has never had that learning curve. Hence the reactions.