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Boston blasts: Home-grown terrorists' hand suspected

Boston, Apr 16 :Home-grown terrorists may be behind yesterday's twin explosions that ripped through the cheering crowd at the finish line of the popular Boston Marathon, killing at least three people and injuring over 150.FBI,

PTI PTI Updated on: April 16, 2013 22:02 IST
boston blasts home grown terrorists hand suspected
boston blasts home grown terrorists hand suspected

Boston, Apr 16 :Home-grown terrorists may be behind yesterday's twin explosions that ripped through the cheering crowd at the finish line of the popular Boston Marathon, killing at least three people and injuring over 150.




FBI, which took over the probe, and Homeland Security agents today carried out searches at a high-rise apartment building here seeking clues to unravel the plot behind the blasts, the first large-scale bombing in US since the 9/11 attacks.

Early today, investigators descended on a high-rise apartment building in Revere and conducted a search for nearly nine hours.

"FBI and Homeland Security agents were seen entering the Water's Edge apartment complex at 364 Ocean Ave," Boston Globe reported.

The Revere Fire department wrote on its Facebook page that this was a search for "a person of interest".

CBS News reported that the apartment search was related to a man who is reportedly under guard at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

The man is a Saudi national who is in the US on a student visa.

Several bags were removed from the scene but authorities would not comment on the search.

"Our mission is clear. To bring to justice those responsible for the marathon bombing. The American public wants answers, the citizens of Boston and the commonwealth of Massachusetts want deserving answers," FBI special agent in charge Richard DesLauriers said in a press conference.

He added, "This remains a very active investigation. Our ongoing investigation in various locations throughout the area goes on. However, there are no additional threats.

"We continue to interview various witnesses and process the crime scene which could take some time".

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said over 150 were injured in the blast.

President Barack Obama, who said any "responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice" did not call the explosions an act of terror but a little later a White House official said they were approaching the blasts as an act of terror.

Some terrorism experts warned that it will be "fool hardy" to speculate but other analysts believe that it was unlikely that an international terror network was behind the explosions.

Early reports suggest that the devices were crudely made — otherwise, they probably would have killed many more people — making it unlikely that they were the work of a foreign government or global terrorist group, such as al­Qaeda, the experts were quoted as saying by the Globe.

Of the over 150 injured, at least 17 are in critical condition and 25 in serious condition. At least eight of the patients are children.

Among the killed included an 8-year-old boy.

Several mega cities in the US, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, have been put on alert.

FBI special agent DesLauriers had earlier said the investigation into the blasts is an "ongoing and criminal investigation that is a potential terrorist investigation."

Media reports quoted a law enforcement advisory as saying that investigators have warned police to be on the lookout for a "darker-skinned or black male" with a possible foreign accent in connection with the attack.

The man was seen with a black backpack and sweatshirt and was trying to get into a restricted area about five minutes before the first explosion near the finish line of the annual Boston marathon yesterday afternoon, CNN said.

President Obama was briefed on the explosions by Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco.

Obama said those responsible are yet to be identified, and cautioned that "people should not jump to conclusions before we have all the facts."

"But make no mistake, we will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this and we'll find out why they did this. Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice," Obama said.

The two blasts created chaos and havoc as runners and spectators scrambled to escape the venue. Blood and debris was strewn on the sidewalks near the finish line of the marathon.

The bomb was apparently placed in a garbage can and exploded just as the last of the nearly 27,000 marathoners were approaching the finish line.

The marathon is held annually on the Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April, a state holiday in Massachusetts.

The blasts occurred as thousands of spectators lined the sidewalks to cheer on the marathoners.


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