2 bombs explode at Boston Marathon-terrorist attack?

Kgal said:
[h=1]What Were Private Military Contractors Doing At the Boston Marathon?[/h]



http://consciouslifenews.com/private-military-contractors-doing-boston-marathon/1154649/

Do you think they were there for security?
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Possibly.

Though I don't know if they're necessarily contractors of Craft International itself - they also do training for people and Craft does sell its gear on their site. It's true about the hat, but you can buy that as well - anyone can inside the country (and also some scammers sell them on eBay for like $100)

They do look like private security contractors of some type though. I do not believe they were involved in anything, personally.

The backpacks and clothing are hard to nail down. They do resemble some 5.11 items available from Craft International but the picture is too fuzzy to really tell, and once again anyone can just buy that stuff anyway.

Edit:
Also it doesn't make sense that they would stand out in any way if they were there for something malicious. Covert uniforms make sense for security in order to help identify people, but not so much for trying to get away with anything in a place like that.

Edit edit:
Also what VIPs were at the marathon? Body guards maybe?
 
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sprinkles said:
Possibly.

Though I don't know if they're necessarily contractors of Craft International itself - they also do training for people and Craft does sell its gear on their site. It's true about the hat, but you can buy that as well - anyone can inside the country (and also some scammers sell them on eBay for like $100)

They do look like private security contractors of some type though. I do not believe they were involved in anything, personally.

The backpacks and clothing are hard to nail down. They do resemble some 5.11 items available from Craft International but the picture is too fuzzy to really tell, and once again anyone can just buy that stuff anyway.

Edit:
Also it doesn't make sense that they would stand out in any way if they were there for something malicious. Covert uniforms make sense for security in order to help identify people, but not so much for trying to get away with anything in a place like that.

Edit edit:
Also what VIPs were at the marathon? Body guards maybe?
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The idea of body guards is a good point.

But why would people buy that kind of gear from eBay and hang around the Boston Marathon? That doesn't make sense to me.

As for them standing out if they had malicious intent....look at us debating as to why they were there. They could have been involved in an operation and we would never know. I'm not saying that's true...just saying ...they - and those in power - are used to doing what they want whether we feel it's malicious or not.
 
the said:
What makes the backpacks so suspicious?
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I think it's more the fact they are presenting themselves as mercenaries - you know - skilled in killing.
It seems odd they would be a marathon.

Unless like sprinkles suggested - that they were hired as bodyguards or security.
 
This seems fucked up. My bullshit alarms are going off, though I can't give an articulate explanation. Something just does not compute.
All that manpower for a 19 year old kid hiding in a boat in someone's back yard?
This is not what it seems to be...
 
acd said:
This seems fucked up. My bullshit alarms are going off, though I can't give an articulate explanation. Something just does not compute.
All that manpower for a 19 year old kid hiding in a boat in someone's back yard?
This is not what it seems to be...
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Yeah, this all sounds very weird to me too.

I don't know what's being reported in your area, but I was just listening to CNN and they were discussing the homeowner who discovered the suspect hiding out in the boat. Maybe I'm misinterpreting something here, but the dude who found him explained that he had physically lifted the tarp, saw the guy, and then had a chance to call the police. What I don't get is how this homeowner had the opportunity to make that call, let alone step away from being harmed whereas the whole mob of police stood around for two hours, fearing to move in because they didn't know if the suspect was armed. I was looking for articles on it online, but none so far touch up on this.

Furthermore, what strikes me as especially peculiar is how well planned out this whole attack was... yet, there were no provisions made for an escape plan. This is the fact that does not sit right with me at all.
 
look at how long it took the cops to enter colombine high school. they have a real aversion to getting shot.
 
Stu said:
look at how long it took the cops to enter colombine high school. they have a real aversion to getting shot.
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In Columbine, there was more of a concern. The suspects had full run of the school and there were two of them on the loose. Furthermore, there were other students still inside the school. This guy is in a tiny motorboat. Alone. Why didn't he make a run for it? Was he injured?

I really hate how the media is reporting on this. They're not being clear and they keep back-tracking and rescinding previous statements. It's rather confusing.
 
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TheDaringHatTrick said:
In Columbine, there was more of a concern. The suspect had full run of the school. This guy is in a tiny motorboat. Why didn't he make a run for it? Was he injured?
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Yes he was injured and bleeding. The homeowner decided to look into the boat because he noticed blood on the tarp, at least that's what ABC news said anyway.
 
toska said:
Yes he was injured and bleeding. The homeowner decided to look into the boat because he noticed blood on the tarp, at least that's what ABC news said anyway.
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That's pretty much what NPR has been reporting, too. The kid lost a lot of blood and he's still in serious condition. He wasn't in any condition to attack anyone at the point he was under the tarp.

Seriously, everything is still speculative at this point. As for the people/secret police/whatever at the Boston marathon - very easy. Every major event these days has both plainclothes officers of some type and obvious officers. The higher the profile of the event, the more you'll find beefed up/private agents or agents on duty. The reason people could rally the chaos so quickly is because of the plainclothes folks. Sadly they missed the backpacks.

ETA: More than anything, I'm sad that so many Muslim folks are going to feel the backlash. Again.
 
When the law enforcement start wearing badges with skulls and blood on...alarm bells should be ringing.
 
[MENTION=1360]TheDaringHatTrick[/MENTION]

These streetwise guys

craft1.png


craft-international-image-collage.jpg


http://consciouslifenews.com/private...athon/1154649/

Reminds me of this:
[video=youtube;IVEIlObp22s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVEIlObp22s[/video]
 
mia kulpah said:
ETA: More than anything, I'm sad that so many Muslim folks are going to feel the backlash. Again.
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That's my concern too. Now its not just the Muslims from the Middle East that are the danger, but Islam as a whole is being seen as inherently dangerous. That's the public perception I've seen come out of this.

As for Chechen, well, I'm not at all surprised that the aunt and the father of the two suspects is so vehemently convinced their boys were set up. Take a look at where they come from. Their people are used to being set up, questioned and constantly fucked over by the government. These people live in fear. Fear of the authorities. Fear of their community. This is a place where you could go to the store and wind up in a back alley without a kidney. What I am wondering, though, is if all this is some kind of terrorist plot, why the US? The US has traditionally supported the Chechen cause and as a result, has been a thorn in Putin's side for offering political asylum. What would a terrorist group stand to gain from bombing the marathon?

I wish people would stop jumping to conclusions about what the motives are behind the whole thing. At this time, the boy in custody is still a suspect in the eyes of the law and will continue to be until this goes to court.

Quixotski said:
@TheDaringHatTrick

These streetwise guys

craft1.png


craft-international-image-collage.jpg


http://consciouslifenews.com/private...athon/1154649/

Reminds me of this:
[video=youtube;IVEIlObp22s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVEIlObp22s[/video]
Click to expand...

How do they know these are officers?
 
I didn't feel much about the Boston Bombing. I think it's sad that people who are passionate about something in their lives were killed while doing it. Like most people my bullshit alarms were going off. I think that this is just another situation where the government created a scenario in order to carry out some other plans of theirs. I think the government has been itching to put martial law into effect for a long time and is eager to make excuses to eliminate as many rights as possible for its citizens. Thank God I don't live there. Most people don't want to believe that its own government would act against its people but just look at the countless other countries that are currently doing the same. That's what happens when human beings are in control.

I'm interested to see what the fallout of this is going to be. I feel sorry for the two men who are suspected because I just have this feeling that they didn't do this whole thing. But someone has to die for the government's cause.
 
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[MENTION=1360]TheDaringHatTrick[/MENTION]

Hmm...it appears you can just buy those caps online for $20.
The group is a military/police/security training company and also they do security it looks like.
It was the earpieces and the 'civvies' uniform they're both wearing + the Craft security cap that made people think they are from that group.

But those are common at big events. The Olympic security last year was run by G4S, who also run the prison system (only contracted now thankfully).
So if they're there it doesn't mean much - these groups are used for security at public events.

That said, whether the cap is from an actual Craft guy or someone who bought the hat; that they're contracted by the government and have skulls as part of their branding is weird.
 
Quixotski said:
[MENTION=1360]TheDaringHatTrick[/MENTION]

Hmm...it appears you can just buy those caps online for $20.
The group is a military/police/security training company and also they do security it looks like.
It was the earpieces and the 'civvies' uniform they're both wearing + the Craft security cap that made people think they are from that group.

But those are common at big events. The Olympic security last year was run by G4S, who also run the prison system (only contracted now thankfully).
So if they're there it doesn't mean much - these groups are used for security at public events.

That said, whether the cap is from an actual Craft guy or someone who bought the hat; that they're contracted by the government and have skulls as part of their branding is weird.
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The skull logo comes from military background. It's not unheard of for military units to incorporate skulls into their logos.

Not that I think this is a good idea, but it's nothing new. Craft is more paramilitary/ex-military/anti-terrorist than anything like a police force.
 
http://www.scpr.org/blogs/news/2013/04/16/13322/boston-marathon-bombings-rumor-control-man-on-the/
News of Monday's horrific bombing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon broke rapidly and widely across mainstream media, on the Internet and in social media, and as in all such fluid situations, a lot of bad information was mixed in with the good. Here are the latest developments as of Wednesday morning.
As for the rest, KPCC deconstructs some of the worst rumors and speculation and tries to find the truth behind them.
1) 'False Flag' Attack
The rumor: At the final Boston Police Department press conference on Monday, the first question for Gov. Deval Patrick asked if the bombings were a "false flag" attack. As the Atlantic Wire reports, "false flag" is a naval term. It's meant in this context as an attack orchestrated by the government to justify expanded powers and the stripping of civil liberties.
Perpetrated by: Radio host and InfoWars operator Alex Jones and his rabid band of conspiracy theorists, including wrestler "Bionic" Dan Bidondi, who asked the press conference question. Gawker clocks the time between bombings and the first "false flag" accusation at 30 minutes.
In reality: The question was given a one-word answer: "No."

2) Man On The Roof
The rumor: A photo taken by marathon spectator Dan Lampariello shows a man on a nearby roof after the bombing. Lampariello posted the photo on Twitter, a Frank Ocean parody sent it sailing and it's still gaining speed.
Who's that guy on the roof?? ???? #BostonMarathon #PrayforBoston twitter.com/Fraank_Oceaan/…
— Frank Ocean (@Fraank_Oceaan) April 15, 2013​
In reality: While there is no evidence to suggest malevolence by the silhouetted individual, a number of fringe outlets and reputable news organizations wrote about the photograph.
"Interest in the mystery man has grown so great," notes Slate, that "during a press conference Tuesday morning, the FBI acknowledge that they were aware of it, although they declined to comment on the photo or any other images flagged by the public for investigators."
The FBI is still requesting from the public any and all possible photographic evidence.
3) "Family Guy" Prediction
UPDATE - Apr. 17, 2013: The Associated Press reports that Fox has pulled from Fox.com and Hulu a recent episode of "Family Guy" which depicts mass deaths at the Boston Marathon. There are no immediate plans to broadcast it again. The episode, "Turban Cowboy," aired Mar. 17.
The rumor: That a recent episode of the Fox animated series "Family Guy" predicted the Boston Marathon bombings.
In reality: In the episode, Peter Griffin befriends a terrorist who, unbeknownst to him, is plotting to blow up a bridge. When Peter dials a cellphone, explosions and screams are heard. In a flashback unrelated to the episode's central storyline, Peter is seen hitting runners with his car when asked by sports announcer Bob Costas about his performance at the Boston Marathon. An edited clip of those scenes have been cut together to suggest a plot relating to the Boston Marathon bombings. Seth MacFarlane denounced the video on Twitter, saying that the "clip currently circulating is abhorrent."
Access Hollywood has additional details about the doctored clip:
The edited version of the clip — which made headlines Tuesday morning, begins with an animated version of NBC Sports’ Bob Costas asking Peter Griffin how he won the Boston Marathon. Then, the clip cuts to Peter in a diner — dressed in a knee-length garment, fringed vest and hat. Peter then dials a number, and an explosion is heard. He tries the number again, thinking the phone is “busted” and another explosion goes off.
​
4) American Airlines Computer Glitch/Men Taken Off Plane
The rumor: American Airlines shut down because of cyberterrorism, hackers, government conspiracy and/or variations of a story connecting the ground stop to two men speaking Arabic said to be escorted off of a flight Tuesday at Boston's Logan Airport.
In reality: American Airlines flights across the country were grounded on Tuesday. The company cited a computer problem with its reservation system. American asked the Federal Aviation Administration to halt its flights until 2 p.m. Pacific time. MyFoxBoston reported a thin story Tuesday morning about men being escorted off a plane, citing unnamed "sources."
Sources told FOX 25 there was an American Airlines flight that was headed to Chicago. There were two men on that plane – not sitting next to each other – and speaking Arabic. There were some concerned marathoners on the flight so the plane was brought back to the gate and the two men were escorted off the plane.
​
5) Saudi National Under Guard at Boston Hospital
o-NY-POST-BOSTON-facebook.jpg

The rumor: The New York Post is being criticized Tuesday for its news coverage Monday, including the story with the headline, "Authorities ID person of interest as Saudi national in marathon bombings, under guard at Boston hospital."
In reality: As of Tuesday afternoon, no one is in custody, no one has been named as a suspect and no one is reported as under guard, reports the Boston Herald. There was a Saudi student injured by shrapnel, and a massive team of authorities searched his residence on Monday night. Items were removed from the apartment, and the man's roommate was questioned for hours.
... Officers from the FBI, ATF and Boston swarmed the fifth-floor apartment in Revere’s Ocean Shores Tower in what residents said was a startling show of force just hours after the horrific Boston Marathon double bombing.
In addition to two Boston Police K-9 units and a bomb squad unit, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as Homeland Security investigators and state police also assembled at the two buildings on Ocean Avenue in Revere.
​
Mohammed Hassan Bada, a 20-year-old from Saudi Arabia, said, "I signed some paper to let them in," and said police questioned him in Arabic, with a translator. "I was scared," he told the Herald.
(Read more in the New Yorker.)
6) JFK Library Explosion
The rumor: Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said during a press conference on Monday that a third incident had occurred at the JFK Library, and that authorities were treating it as a connected situation.
What happened next: By evening, authorities reported that JFK incident may not have been an explosion; rather, it appeared to be "fire-related."
In reality: The Boston Globe reports that a "mechanical fire" broke out in a heating and ventilation system at the library around the same time as the Marathon explosions, according to library officials. There was an orderly evacuation, and they don't anticipate much damage to the library's collections.
7) Sandy Hook Child Killed
The rumor: That the 8-year-old who was killed was a young girl from Sandy Hook running the marathon for the victims and survivors of the massacre.
The photos: Despite children not being permitted to run in the Boston Marathon, photos of a boy and a girl were widely circulated. The photo was of a girl at a different race last May, according to Snopes. There was also a photo of a boy running in the marathon. It also was not a photo of the victim.
In reality: The 8-year-old child killed was Martin Richard, who was watching the marathon. His mother and sister were also "grievously" injured in the explosions, reports CNN.
Denise Richard underwent surgery for an injury to her brain, and Martin's 6-year-old sister lost her leg, CNN affiliate WHDH reported.
​
William Richard, the boy's father, released a statement on Tuesday:
"My dear son Martin has died from injuries sustained in the attack on Boston. ... My wife and daughter are both recovering from serious injuries. We thank our family and friends, those we know and those we have never met, for their thoughts and prayers. I ask that you continue to pray for my family as we remember Martin. We also ask for your patience and for privacy as we work to simultaneously grieve and recover. Thank you."
​
8) Wedding Proposal
130416121006-boston-bombing-aftermath-story-body.jpg

The rumor: A man planning to propose to his girlfriend at the finish line never gets the chance.
In reality: The Boston Globe photo is real, but the story is not, reports CNN.
"The man in the red shirt planned to propose to his girlfriend as he crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon, but she passed away," it reads. "Most of us will never experience this amount of emotional pain."
The image is, in fact, real. It comes from the Boston Globe and was shared through Getty Images. But the agency's caption merely describes the scene as a man comforting an injured woman at the finish line.
​
9) Retweet to Donate

The rumor: Boston Marathon race organizers will donate money if you retweet their message.
In reality: It was a fake account. Posing as marathon organizers, @_BostonMarathon claimed that, "For every retweet we receive we will donate $1 to the #BostonMarathon victims #PrayForBoston." Twitter shut down the account.
10) BostonMarathonconspiracy.com
No rumor: Salon reports that "since conspiracy theories have already arisen surrounding the Boston Marathon bombing, one man in California is doing what he can to head them off by registering the domain name bostonmarathonconspiracy.com. If you visit the site, you get this message:"
I BOUGHT THIS DOMAIN TO KEEP SOME
CONSPIRACY THEORY KOOK FROM OWNING IT.
PLEASE KEEP THE VICTIMS OF THIS EVENT
AND THEIR FAMILIES IN YOUR THOUGHTS.
​
Have you heard any rumors about the explosions at the Boston Marathon? Share them with us and we'll try to get to the bottom of them. You can post a comment below, tweet us @KPCC or post on our Facebook page.
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