A large area of downtown Boston remained cordoned off by police as authorities pursued an investigation into the two bombs that exploded at the finish of the Boston Marathon.
Three people, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed and over 140 were injured.
The FBI has served a warrant on a suburban Boston home and is appealing for any private video, audio and still images of the blasts.
Police are searching for evidence of the identity of who placed the bombs packed with ball bearings to maximise casualties.
Main points:
- Three people killed & more than 140 injured
- Many of injured have lost limbs
- Ball bearings and shrapnel used in two bombs
- Obama vows justice for those responsible
- DFA says no reports of Irish casualties so far (01-4082000)
- President Higgins sends sympathies
The White House has said the bombings are being treated as an "act of terror".
President Barack Obama has vowed to hunt down whoever was responsible for the attack on a day when tens of thousands of spectators packed the streets to watch the world-famous race.
No one has been arrested and a White House official said it would have to be determined whether the attack came from a foreign or domestic source.
Investigators found what could be five additional, undetonated explosive devices around the Boston area, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing two unnamed people briefed on the investigation.
The evidence had yet to be fully analysed, the Journal said.
Police carrying black plastic bags left a block of flats in the Boston suburb of Revere early this morning as part of the investigation.
Massachusetts State Police confirmed that a search warrant related to the investigation into the explosions was served last night in Revere, but they provided no further details.
Blasts as many runners reached finish line
The blasts a few seconds apart knocked some runners off their feet and shattered what had been a beautiful spring day.
Many runners were heading for the finish when a fireball and smoke rose from behind cheering spectators and a row of flags representing the countries of participants, video from the scene showed.
The cheers turned to screams and panic.
Many of the victims were gravely injured, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said.
Some suffered shrapnel wounds and amputations and will require repeat operations in the coming days, said Peter Fagenholtz, a trauma surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital.
He said the oldest patient he cared for was 71 years old.
An Irish surgeon at Massachusetts Hospital, James McDaid, said many of the injured treated at the hospital had to have limbs amputated because their injuries were so severe.
He said injuries ranged from severe leg trauma to metal embedded in the skin.
"The types of injuries were mostly leg injuries, were mostly lower limb trauma. Very sadly, unfortunately most of the leg injuries were so severe they were unsalvagable," Dr McDaid said.
Ambulances, fire trucks and dozens of police vehicles converged at the scene, and spectators could be seen crying and consoling each other.
The dead included an eight-year-old boy, the Boston Globe reported, citing two law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation.
A two-year-old was being treated with a head injury at Boston Children's Hospital, the hospital said in a statement.
"It sounded like a sonic boom. I haven't stopped shaking yet," said Melissa Stanley, who watched her daughter cross the finish line four minutes before the explosions.
At Boston Children's Hospital, the list of the wounded also included a nine-year-old girl with leg trauma and six other children under the age of 15.
Major US cities on alert following bombings
The blasts put police on alert in major cities across the United States, including in Washington DC and New York.
Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis called them "powerful devices".
The two devices using gunpowder as the explosive were packed with ball bearings and other shrapnel to maximise injuries, said a senior law enforcement official briefed on the investigation who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the information.
In Washington, Mr Obama told reporters:
"Make no mistake, we will get to the bottom of this and we will find out who did this."
"Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice."
Without knowing who perpetrated the attack, the White House said it was handling the incident as "an act of terror".
"Any event with multiple explosive devices - as this appears to be - is clearly an act of terror, and will be approached as an act of terror," a White House official said.
The FBI has taken lead on the investigation with help from several other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers said: "It is a criminal investigation that is a potential terrorist investigation," he said, while declining to elaborate on initial findings or where the inquiry was headed.
In addition to domestic law enforcement, intelligence agencies such as the CIA and the National Counterterrorism Center have joined the investigation.
Police are sweeping the entire 26.2-mile (42km) route of the race for possible clues and have cordoned off the area around the blasts in the heart of Boston's shopping district.
The two explosions at 2.50pm (7.50pm Irish time) were about 50 to 100 metres apart as runners crossed the finish line with a timer showing four hours and nine minutes.
Spectators typically line the race course, with the heaviest crowds near the finish line.
The annual Boston Marathon, held since 1897, attracts an estimated 500,000 spectators and some 20,000 participants every year.
50 runners listed Ireland as place of residence
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it has no reports of any Irish casualties so far.
According to the official Boston Marathon website, 50 competitors listed Ireland as their country of residence, and 108 have listed Ireland as their country of citizenship.
The department is advising anyone who is concerned to contact them on 01-4082000.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny described the bombings as "an act of insanity".
Speaking as he arrived at Government Buildings this morning, Mr Kenny said he sympathised with the people of Boston, which he described as a city that is "so Irish".
Eugene Coppinger, a guide with Sports Travel International, said one Irish spectator had been unaccounted for in the aftermath of the blasts, but had since turned up safely.
Over 12 Irish people travelled to Boston with the company.
Mr Coppinger said the woman, who was a wife of one of the runners, got lost on her way back to the hotel, but eventually made it back safely.
He praised the efforts of emergency personnel who took control of events straight away.
"It looked chaotic but under the circumstances, they got people out of the area as quickly as they could and managed to deal with the many injuries that were there," he said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said the Irish consulate in Boston was evacuated, but it will still provide services to Irish people in the city.
He said: "Arrangements have been put in place to enable people to keep in touch with our consular services and with our department and we will maintain that service for anyone who has a concern about a family member in Boston."
The US flag is flying at half-mast at the US Embassy in Ballsbridge in Dublin.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
FBI investigating Boston explosions
Dengan url
http://newsdeadlineup.blogspot.com/2013/04/fbi-investigating-boston-explosions.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
FBI investigating Boston explosions
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
FBI investigating Boston explosions
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar