Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 293

Infra Dig

Mass State Police share some of their infra-red photos from last night.  One below.  More here.

Hiroshima--The Sequel--Cancelled

No, North Korea did not call off a bomb test.  Iran did not renounce its nuclear energy program.  This:  A popular air show in Dayton, Ohio, after protests, finally cancelled this weekend's planned re-enactment of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima.   Actually, decades ago, Enola Gay pilot Paul Tibbets used to perform the stunt, but protests back then seemingly ended the practice.  And you wonder why I feel need to write about this subject--now for over 30 years.  Such as here and see below: 

Did Terrorists Win?

Richard Engel after monitoring pro-jihadi chat rooms and sites yesterday reports that they were celebrating the shutdown of Boston, people terrified, massive amount of money spent and lost--they were calling this a great win.  Of course, many here questioned the over-reaction, too--and warned that it might inspire more such attacks, not fewer.   But Engel then ridiculously claims that folks celebrating the end of the crisis last night somehow sent message that the terrorism had no such effect but the jihadis will simply ignore that.  Of course, the cheers did not wipe out the terror, the costs, the all-day lockdown etc.   But he did add that the reaction abroad did seem to suggest the two brothers were simply "lone wolves."


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Shocking Report on that Texas Fertilizer Plant

UPDATE  I propose:  State of  Texas locked down until owner and top manager located.  When arrested, don't read Miranda rights.   I'm against death penalty but Texas does love it.   Also:  What did Rick Perry know and when did he know it?  

Earlier: I said from the beginning that he owners of the West, Texas, plant that exploded killing anywhere from 14 to 50 were likely responsible for far more deaths than the Boston bombers.  And now Reuters today reports below.  Of course, Rick Perry and pals are all in favor of cutting federal oversight, regulations--and inspections. 

The fertilizer plant that exploded on Wednesday, obliterating part of a small Texas town and killing at least 14 people, had last year been storing 1,350 times the amount of ammonium nitrate that would normally trigger safety oversight by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Yet a person familiar with DHS operations said the company that owns the plant, West Fertilizer, did not tell the agency about the potentially explosive fertilizer as it is required to do, leaving one of the principal regulators of ammonium nitrate - which can also be used in bomb making - unaware of any danger there.

NYT op-ed piece today is a must-read: crime today, with a history.

Brutal Drug Murders and Tamerlan

Lengthy Boston Globe piece on the two suspect brothers has many fresh details, including Tamerlan's sudden and rude re-appearance at this old boxing gym this week,  but this one is kind of a biggy: "Gym owner Allan said that Tamerlan had once introduced him to an American, Brendan Mess (photo left), whom Tamerlan described as his best friend.  Two years ago, Mess and two other men were brutally killed in a Waltham apartment where they were found by police with their throats slit and their bodies covered with marijuana. The murders remain unsolved."

Here's a story on the case.  And an earlier one.  The apartment was Mess's but not known if he was chief target.  Rather odd "tribute" video below.  See if you can find Tamerlan in party crowd.  Below that another video in his honor.


More:

That 'Terror Training' Trip to Russia

UPDATE  NYT covers this issue today, and the FBI interviewing family members in 2011.  Includes father's claim agents told Tamerlan then they were doing this "so that no one sets off bombs on the streets of Boston, so that our children could peacefully go to school."  In any case, his trip to Russia the following year apparently did not set off any bells. 

Earlier:  I noted this last night but it bears repeating, as the talking heads and writers (even David Remnick) continue to sugggest, even demand, that Tamerlan's trip to Russia quite possibly was for terror "training."     Important interview with father of suspects yesterday by NYT may largely lay to rest this all-day "expert" and media meme.  Dad says the older son went there to get a new passport and there was long delay.  Also he was rarely out of his sight and did not travel.  Saw nothing but relatives.  Some wondered if he  "came here to sleep."

Vivid Account of Brothers vs. Police

Joby Warrick at the Wash Post has a full account of the Thursday night/Friday morning showdown between the Boston bomb suspect brothers and police with new details.  But it's still unclear why they shot that MIT cop.  It guaranteed they'd get caught or killed and there was no reason to approach the poor guy in his car.  Only motive so far: they wanted to spark battle with police, go out in blaze of glory or something.  If true, then, you'd think younger bro would have later killed himself, when he had so many opportunities to do so.  Perhaps he really a puppet of older bro and when he was gone things changed.

Also, this account suggests that maybe younger bro really did kill older bro when he ran over him with his car:

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, now out of his car, attempted to lob a makeshift bomb at police, but the device exploded in his hand. While Tsarnaez was firing a pistol with the other hand, police tackled and tried to subdue the 200-pound amateur boxer.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, apparently intending to help his brother, tried to ram the officers with the Mercedes. Instead, the officers lunged out of the vehicle’s path and he ran over his brother and dragged him along the street before speeding off with police in pursuit.

One Suspect Dead, One on the Loose

UPDATE #5:  NBC reports "associate" of suspects on train to NY--train now halted in East Norwalk, CT.  Then quickly adds:  Train given all-clear and on its way again.

UPDATE #4  Mother Jones claims it has found YouTube page for dead suspect, and he posted  "a video extolling an extremist religious prophecy associated with Al Qaeda."

Mother of suspects arrested in 2012?  Home address lines up.

Longtime TV reporter and host Robin Young who long lives in Boston: "remember djohar well, beautiful boy in tux at prom party and elsewhere."  More on him as honors student, athlete, well-liked.

NYT:  "A Facebook page for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev shows a profile photo of a young man in a military helmet, holding what appears to be an assault weapon and taking a drag on a cigarette. An announcement from the city of Cambridge, Mass., listed a person by that name as a recipient of a $2,500 college scholarship in 2011, one of about 35 scholarships given to local high school graduates."

Dead suspect's revealing Amazon wish list. (Note: NOT confirmed.)  Also, his  hopes to become Olympics boxer for USA.

MAKHACHKALA, Russia (AP) - Father of Boston bombing suspect says son is accomplished medical student and 'a true angel.'

UPDATE #3   Online profile for suspect on loose.  Logged in last at 6:04 last night!  Claims he mainly care about "career and money."   Worldview: "Islam."  CNN says his request in the "send a gift" section was for TNT and police cars....

Cable live now with major activity in Watertown,  small explosion and smoke in air.   MSNBC:  police "have location" of suspect, so that may be it.

AJE with livestream of police and SWAT team near surrounded house.  One report that explosion was in house. CNN: Police say Suspect #2 rigged with IED and with trigger (not sure how they know that).

MSNBC's Pete Williams:  a third suspect taken into custody.  But other reports say "protecive custody." 

UPDATE #2:   Guy, Eric Machado,  interviewed on CNN said they went to high school together in Cambridge.   Partied with him.  Not bad guy.  All who knew him in shock now, no "malicious" signs.  Some followed him on Twitter and he followed back.   Claims suspect had worked as lifeguard at Harvard.  Attending U Mass-Amherst and on break now.  Pronounces name "Jahar."  Did not know older brother. ...

UPDATE #1: WBZ reporter talks to uncle of Suspect #1.  Calls him "loser" and deserved to die...Brothers announced in hijackng SUV that they were the bombers....

Press conference:   Gov. Patrick and police in Watetown says all transit suspended.  All told to stay indoor and lock doors--for ALL of Boston and certain suburbs.  "Shelter in place." Police say getting tips but may take hours.  Brother still on loose and in car.  Biggest lockdown in history, it is suggested. 

Earlier:  Awoke, turned on TV,  and just saw Pete Williams report  that two suspects in Boston bombings are brothers from  near if not in Chechnya (one born in Russia, one in Kurdistan), who have been in country for ten years.  Latest from NYT.  Suspect number one  shot dead in Watertown, MA., while other got away--in fact, in hijacked SUV, drove over dead brother on way out and huge manhunt underway. 

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, dead.   Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, alive (wanted flyer at left).
Brothers had gone to rob 7-11, leading to death of that MIT police guard.  Then they drove away, apparently throwing explosives out the window.   Had been in country for ten years. Allegedly "failed to assimilate."   CNN: "They are Muslim."  Speculation that not part of wider plot because no help in escape, seemingly hapless after doing bombing. CNN:  Brother killed found with explosives on him.  Not certain if police shot and killed him, or he blew himself up, or even was hit by car and died.  Dead brother had posted on Facebook that he did not have single American friend.

Chilling Photo: Boy, Backpack, Suspect

Another apparent Reddit find--someone just posted below, showing suspect #2 directly behind the 8-year-old boy who was killed, and with the backpack nearby.

Injured Man in Iconic Boston Photo IDed "Suspect #1"

Astounding.  Bloomberg story just posted says the man in the iconic photo of the Boston bombings--being wheeled away, his two legs mainly blown off--IDed the suspect #1 (guy in dark cap) for authorities before release of photo  today.  Though drugged in hospital, after legs amputated, asked for sheet of paper and wrote message about suspect. 

Minutes before the bombs blew up in Boston, Jeff Bauman looked into the eyes of the man who tried to kill him.

Just before 3 p.m. on April 15, Bauman was waiting among the crowd for his girlfriend to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon. A man wearing a cap, sunglasses and a black jacket over a hooded sweatshirt looked at Jeff, 27, and dropped a bag at his feet, his brother, Chris Bauman, said in an interview.