Boston: Who did it?

While the investigation continues, many commentators are speculating as to the perpetrators of this terrorist event.  This short post adds to this commentary!

• The Boston Marathon, while a large national event, is not the iconic event that would usually be favoured by international terrorists.

• The 15 April is celebrated as Patriots Day, celebrating the first battles of the American Revolution in 1775.  It is also Tax Day in the US when annual tax submissions have to be filed with Federal authorities.

• Televised footage of the explosions are revealing: it shows white smoke, not black, the sound is more of a rumble than a sharp crack, it shows a low-level of physical damage to property and also that runners and others in close proximity where able to stay on their feet suggests a small blast wave.  This suggests, at this stage, that the explosive may have been a low-explosive, rather than a high explosive (such as TATP, C4, ANFO) that trained Jihadists, or other serious terrorists would have used.

The facts outlined above may suggest that the attack was more likely to have been conducted by a US right-wing extremist.

However, last year an edition of the Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsular (AQAP) online magazine, Inspire, included an article by Abu Musab al-Surri.  Two extracts are below:

•  It is possible for ordinary Resistance fighters among Muslims residing in America and the allied western countries to target them, in order to partake in the Jihad and the Resistance, and to stretch out a helping hand to the Mujihadeen."

• This is done by targeting crowds in order to inflict maximum human losses.  This is very easy since there are numerous such targets, such as crowded sports arenas, annual social events, large international exhibitions, crowded market places, skyscapers, crowded buildings etc."

Therefore, there is also the possibility that the attack was conducted by a US inspired individual, or small group.

Whoever conducted this attack and for whatever motivation will be of concern to US authorities.