Boston Marathon Explosion

Here's the latest news on the manhunt for the marathon bombers:

Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Killed, Another On The Loose (VIDEO, PHOTOS, LIVE UPDATES)

A violent crime spree across Greater Boston that took the lives of a campus police officer and one of the suspects in the Marathon bombings morphed into a desperate door-to-door search for a man believed to be the second bomber in Monday’s dual blasts.

After a string of explosions and volleys of gunfire that seriously injured a transit officer, police cordoned off much of Watertown, Mass. Residents were ordered to “shelter in place” and not trust anyone they might see other than uniformed officers.

A Massachusetts State Police public information officer told HuffPost reporter Michael McLaughlin, "We believe this to be a terrorist, we believe he came here to kill people."

At daybreak, law enforcement planned to launch a house-to house search through much of Watertown as they sought one half of the duo believed to have killed three and wounded more than 170 at the Boston Marathon finish line on Monday.

A chaotic Thursday night across Cambridge and Watertown started at 10:30 p.m. with a convenience store holdup that led to the shooting of an MIT campus officer who died later from multiple gunshot wounds.

Police sped away from the campus crime scene amid reports of an armed carjacking of a Mercedes SUV nearby.

The breakneck pursuit of the stolen car led to Watertown, where suspects detonated explosives in the direction of officers before exchanging gunfire.

“I heard three loud bangs,” a witness told HuffPost. “It sounded like a car being dropped on the ground.”

The threat to anyone in the area was so serious that the police planned robocalls to warn residents, CNN reported.

Hundreds of officers drawn from many departments spent hours looking for additional explosives, criminal evidence and, perhaps most importantly, a man deemed to be armed and dangerous.

One suspect died in the exchange of gunfire with police in Watertown. Neither suspects' identity was released.

The long night followed a day in which the FBI released video footage and photos of the baseball cap-wearing pair seen carrying suspicious backpacks which they dropped at the Boylston Street finish line.

It is totally incredible. Years ago after 9/11 I had a conversation about how terrorists would cause more damage if they did this kind of event instead of a major event. My friend said that we could potentially become like the middle east in the way bombings took place. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come....too scary...

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Boston Marathon Bomb Suspect, Pursued By Authorities

WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) — Two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing killed an MIT police officer, injured a transit officer in a firefight and threw explosive devices at police during their getaway attempt in a long night of violence that left one of them dead and another still at large Friday, authorities said as the manhunt intensified for a young man described as a dangerous terrorist.

The suspects were identified to The Associated Press as coming from the Russian region near Chechnya, which has been plagued by an Islamic insurgency stemming from separatist wars. A law enforcement intelligence bulletin obtained by the AP identified the surviving bomb suspect as Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, a 19-year-old who had been living in Cambridge, Mass.

Two law enforcement officials told the AP that Tsarnaev and the other suspect, who was not immediately identified, had been living legally in the U.S. for at least one year.

In Boston, still on edge over the attack on the marathon, and its western suburbs, authorities suspended mass transit and urged people to stay indoors as they searched for the remaining suspect, a man seen wearing a white baseball cap on surveillance footage from Monday's deadly bombing at the marathon finish line.

"We believe this man to be a terrorist," said Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis. "We believe this to be a man who's come here to kill people."

HuffPost

As horrible as the Boston bombing is, this is an example of what the people in some areas of the Middle East experience every day:

Baghdad Bombing: Death Toll In Cafe Suicide Attack Rises To 32
HuffPost

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi police and morgue officials say the death toll in a suicide bombing inside a Baghdad cafe has risen to 32 killed and 65 wounded.

A suicide bomber set off his explosive belt inside the cafe Thursday night. It was packed with young people enjoying water pipes and playing pool.

Police said Friday that some bodies were found in a back street because some people were thrown out of the cafe by the powerful explosion.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

Violence has been on the rise ahead of Iraqi provincial elections set for Saturday.

party animal - not! wrote:Mm, and tragic to think this is the norm in parts of the Middle East.........

In many ways it was the norm in the UK for much of the 70s, 80s and 90s. I still can't get over seeing rubbish bins on train stations whenever I go home because for most of life they'd been removed by the police to stop people planting bombs in them.

Wow Katie, I didn't even think about that period in the UK. We in the US have led very sheltered lives so when 911 happened we were shocked. In the past 12 years, we've gotten reticent I think and so this event is even more unsettling.

It most certainly does make one think about how people all over the world are enduring these kind of attacks, or worse, on a daily basis. I simply don't know how people in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan get through their days.

I just don't understand why humans seem to have this need to hurt other humans.

I remember visiting London during that time and being frisked at by airport security---well my sister was frisked, they were doing every other person. I also remember being shocked to see armed military at the airport---it was scary. Then 9/11 happened and I got used to seeing them at the train station etc....this is a really sad situation. I have always wondered how people live with this as part of their daily life.

I also don't understand how some thing that violence and killing others ever advances a cause.

Religion is always the answer oof..the night before the first attack I was speaking to a friend of mine about 9/11 and the friends we lost in that attack.. I told her there were more to come, the next day the attacks in Boston...there r surley more to come, the air show in ft lauderdale is on high alert...God bless all who were had to endure such a horrendous act of terror...

Terrorism have no religion ...war in Islam have rules a time and a place and never to attack woman , old man with no weapon , a kid or even cut a tree , and definitely not civilians .who ever did those attack are criminals they contradict their "so called " belief but Islam is innocent from what they do , ...extremist have no home, no religion and no mind god save all kind people from them and guide us to the right way and god help the people of Boston and every where else !

Lolo you are right. Sadly, all extremists, whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Buddhist, use their religion to justify their violence when all those religions are built on the precept of non violence. As you said, Phys, religion always seems to be at the center of so many violent acts today. I feel so sorry for my Muslim friends because they will all now be treated as terrorists. Islam isn't the problem. It's the men who use it for their own warped version who are the problem. It's ironic that none of those old men are ever the ones who do the suicide bombs. They just find lots of young men and women to do their dirty work!

OofOof wrote:Lolo you are right. Sadly, all extremists, whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Buddhist, use their religion to justify their violence when all those religions are built on the precept of non violence. As you said, Phys, religion always seems to be at the center of so many violent acts today. I feel so sorry for my Muslim friends because they will all now be treated as terrorists. Islam isn't the problem. It's the men who use it for their own warped version who are the problem. It's ironic that none of those old men are ever the ones who do the suicide bombs. They just find lots of young men and women to do their dirty work!

Well Oof young minds, especially those that do not know what they stand for, those who don't have that sense of belonging make very good targets for the wrong kind of people to fill their minds and hearts with hatred.

But if those old jihadists really believed their BS, they would strap those vests on themselves and do the dirty work. Instead, as you said, they fill young people's minds with hatred and sit back and watch their dirty work.

True

Update: It appears that Police have suspect 2 trapped in a boat in a backyard in residential area. They are sending in the robot to check for explosives. Lets hope that person is indeed Suspect 2.

@piersmorgan is very up to the minute. Wish the guy would just give up

I'm watching CNN live from Boston.

It's over...they have him in custody....apparently alive. So glad it is over.

I second that!

Brilliant news.

Many Congratulations to all the Police involved
.
Excellent work

Was watching a certain RDJ on another channel - and didn't realise the Beeb were live from the scene too! Duh..........

They're now discussing the feeling of terror which may remain. Very sadly we don't hear too many conversations like this in other parts of the world where this stuff happens all too frequently......

Sorry can't post the article with my iPad.

Matt Damon talking in Cacun about the bombing.


http://ukscreen.com/news/shocked-matt-damon-marathon-bomber-attended-my-high-school-exclusive/

Shocked Matt Damon: Marathon Bomber attended my high school – Exclusive

By Husam Sam Asi
April 21, 2013 - News - No Comments

Speaking in Cancun, where he is promoting his latest movie Elysium, Boston-native Matt Damon expressed his horror and

Matt Damon: Boston Bomber went to my high school.

shock at the fact that the Boston marathon bomber, 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, has attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin high School, which he and his friend Ben Affleck had graduated from 20 years ago.

“I literally found that out yesterday before I flew out down here,” Damon said solemnly. “I was in the kitchen and heard on CNN my history teacher, Larry Aaronson, who is a good friend of mine, saying that he knew the bomber very well and that he was very compassionate. So everybody is very confused. I’m sure there’s a lot we don’t know yet. Presumably, he is still alive, so presumably he is going to explain what he thinks he was doing.”

Chechnya-born Dhakhar Tsarvaev is currently recovering in hospital from the wounds he sustained during a shootout with the police, which lead to the killing of his 26-year-old brother, Tamerlan, and a police officer. He and his brother were caught on surveillance cameras carrying the backpack that contained the explosives.

“Marathon Monday is a really big deal, the kids don’t have to go to school and everybody goes. It’s a big community event and these guys put the bomb in the middle of this community celebration and they were part of this community. That’s what’s really just unbelievably disturbing. It’s insane,” he exclaimed incredulously.

Another Bostonian, Mark Wahlberg, who is also in Cancun, expressed his outrage at the bombing. “It’s f***ing disgusting,” he said. Damon concurred and added “It’s incredible that anybody would do that. I’m very confused by it, and it’s really upsetting on a whole number of levels, but presumably we will all get some clarification from this kid.”

The teenager is in stable condition but is still unable to communicate.

Thanks Mel