What’s interesting in the news today?
The big story continues to be the Boston Bombings.
The surviving bomber is awake and responding to questions from authorities. From ABCNews
” Law enforcement sources tell ABC News that the Boston Marathon bombings suspect is awake and has been responding sporadically in writing to questions. Officials say they have been asking about other cell members and other potential unexploded bombs. Details on any answers given have not been released.”
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It’s a story of dueling press accounts as well. As you’d expect, MSNBC and like minded sources refuse to admit the obvious motivations of the bombers. They’re in denial about any religious motivations. Some foreign sources aren’t having that problem.
From TheDailyMail
“The Mail on Sunday has learned that the FBI put Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, under surveillance after receiving an explicit warning from the Russian intelligence services.”
“Despite all this, the FBI found no substantive evidence that he was engaged in terror-related activities though they continued to ‘monitor his internet use and contacts’.
According to an intelligence source, Russia remained convinced that Tamerlan, an ethnic Chechen, was in ‘direct contact’ with Islamist militants, most likely based in the strife-torn southern Russian region of Dagestan, where he lived for two years with his family prior to moving to the US.”
The FBI has a lot of explaining to do. More from TheTelegraphUK
And here as well, also from TheTelegraphUK
MSNBC says don’t be too hard on the FBI, from Newsbusters
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Meanwhile NBC Nightly News ignores the Islamic ties.
MSNBC insists it’s not related to Islam at all.
And the Atlantic insists it too soon to tell if Islam played a roll.
The NYTIMES publishes then revises a story seemingly sympathetic to the bombers.
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The Mayor of Boston says the 2 suspects acted alone. From TheAP
“Boston Mayor Tom Menino says information he has indicates that the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing acted alone.”
“He tells ABC’s `This Week” that a pipe bomb was found at another location and that another person was taken into custody. The mayor did not elaborate.”
Well which is it? Or is this another totally unrelated bomber?
This publication disagrees with the Mayor. From TheMirrorUK
“The FBI was last night hunting a 12-strong terrorist “sleeper cell” linked to the Boston marathon bomb brothers.”
“A source close to the investigation said: “We have no doubt the brothers were not acting alone. The devices used to detonate the two bombs were highly sophisticated and not the kind of thing people learn from Google.
“They were too advanced. Someone gave the brothers the skills and it is now our job to find out just who they were. Agents think the sleeper cell has up to a dozen members and has been waiting several years for their day to come.”
I hope they’re wrong and the Mayor is correct.
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This is a good piece on how the brothers came to be the extremists they were in the end. From TheBostonGlobe
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Military tribunal or criminal trial? Go with A. From ABCNews
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Boston’s Police Comm. calls releasing the photos a turning point. From Boston.com
“Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis said releasing the photos of the two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing “may have led to the further attack” against MIT police officer Sean Collier, which he called an assassination. But he stressed there is no way to know for sure.
Releasing the pictures after many hours of behind-the-scenes deliberation, “was a turning point in the investigation, no doubt about it,” said Davis in an interview with the Globe.
“It forced them out of their hideout and they decided to commit further violent acts. But it’s my belief that they were already manufacturing explosive devices. Further violent acts were inevitable.” The suspects “were not making those explosives for nothing,” said Davis. “There was a plan there, and I believe that tragically [Collier] lost his life, but he was truly protecting the citizens of the city.””
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In other news…….
An update from the Texas plant explosion story. Press has been allowed in, and the story is one of devastation. From CBSNews
“At least 14 people are dead and 200 injured after the blast in the tiny Texas town. Officials now say 12 of the 14 killed were first responders, CBS News’ Steve Futterman reports.”
“Meanwhile, on the first Sunday after the explosion, pastor John Crowder stood atop a long flatbed truck overlooking a hayfield and spoke to his congregation.
Crowder’s First Baptist Church in West remains blocked off as investigators work on the scene of Wednesday’s blast. So about 100 people sat in white folding chairs Sunday morning, while others carried their own.
“We have lost our friends and neighbors,” Crowder told the audience. We have lost the safety and comfort of our homes. But as scary as this is, we don’t have to be afraid.”
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A bizarre report of shots fired at a nuke plant. Great, just what we need, more crazy. From WBIR.com
“A TVA spokesperson confirmed that a security officer patrolling TVA Watts Bar Nuclear Plant in Spring City was involved in a shootout with a suspect Sunday at about 2:00 a.m.
The security incident happened on the Tennessee River side of the plant property, more than a quarter mile from the plant’s protected area, which houses its reactor and power production facilities.
TVA spokesperson Jim Hopson said the subject traveled up to the plant on a boat and walked onto the property. When the officer questioned the suspect, the individual fired multiple shots at the officer. The officer shot back, and when he called for backup, the suspect sped away on his boat. ”
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Schumer and Graham are claiming this adds a need for urgency to the amnesty bill they want passed. 🙄 Shocking right? From TheHill
“The Boston Marathon tragedy is a reason for Congress to move faster – not slower – to overhaul the nation’s immigration system, according to two co-authors of a Senate reform package.
Some conservatives on Capitol Hill have suggested Monday’s deadly bombings – allegedly orchestrated by a pair of young immigrants from Russia’s volatile Caucasus region – should cause lawmakers to move more deliberately in their approach to immigration reform this year.”
“But Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) – chief architects of a sweeping bipartisan immigration proposal unveiled last week – argued Sunday that their bill will help prevent future terrorist attacks at home and should be taken up as soon as possible.”
Funny thing though, Chuck doesn’t like to be questioned on the specifics. From TheDailyCaller
“Chris Crane, head of the immigration officers union, was pulled out of a Senate press conference today when he tried to question Sen. Chuck Schumer during the televised roll-out of the 844-page immigration rewrite.
While reporters asked questions, Schumer ignored three requests from Crane, who sought to question him about aspects of the far-reaching law, which promises to tighten enforcement of immigration laws at borders, airports and seaports.
“Will you take a question from law enforcement?” Crane asked, repeating the question twice before being removed.
Schumer ignored the question, and repeated his advocacy for the bill. Crane’s union represents agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) service.”
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Wandering Views 
Here’s a good post, i think, on the coverage of the religion/muslim angle ongoing in the Boston case:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/getreligion/2013/04/untangling-the-tsarnaevs-muslim-ties-carefully/
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Seems the Canadians have thwarted a terrorist plot there.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/04/22/canada-arrests-terrorist-cbc-idINDEE93L0EL20130422
“Canadian police and intelligence agencies will announce multiple arrests on Monday after an operation to thwart a “major terrorist attack,” the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported, citing unidentified “highly placed” sources.
The operation was coordinated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, CBC said.”
Hmmmmm……..
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Well it’s official. The muslim terrorist angle will be ignored by the WhiteHouse.
and he’s been charged.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/22/us-usa-explosions-boston-charged-idUSBRE93L0VN20130422
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Here’s the complaint.
Click to access 9352013422133751713926.pdf
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Trying him as a criminal is the right approach. Treating an individual differently raises the issue of motivation and cause. Treat him as a common criminal and throw him in the gulag with the rest ensures he will eventually be buried and forgotten. Treat him differently and he will become a cause celebre for disaffected and alienated youth.
The Chechen wars and terrorism is a potent mix of both nationalism and religion. Over the years the latter has become more important but its difficult to assess motivation for each individual involved in Chechen violence. Historically, Chechen Islam have very little Wahhibist tendencies but rather its similar to Turkish and Sufism practice and custom. Only in recent years with internet and satellite television has the Saudi brand have any influence especially after the failure of nationalist movements in the drive for independence. Immigrant alienation which often turns an immigrant against his new country for his own lack of success is also a factor.
I’m a bit pessimistic and suspicious of the Cdn arrests. Rules for infiltrating and entrapping groups are laxer here than in the US. Informants and agents are allowed to take the lead and suggest crimes and plans. A few years back, there were over a dozen arrests and hundreds of charges filed in what was described as a terrorist plot to assassinate politicians and takeover parliament and mass media. Millions of dollars were spent and most of the charges were dropped. It turned out the RCMP, CSIS (security and intelligence service) and the Ontario Provincial Police had used agents and informants to incite and lead members of the group into crime. Far from being mere informants, they had actively taken over the groups, created plans and then told others to carry out the crimes.
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Interesting commentary from the Guardian.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/21/boston-marathon-bombs-us-gun-law
British papers are intensely political especially the tabloids. Hence the Daily Mirror which AJ links is conservative and makes FOX look positively centrist. The broadsheets are a bit more respectable .. but still the Daily Telegraph might as well call itself the Conservative Party paper. My favourite, the Guardian has no point of comparison in the US. Although its accurate in its new gathering its a solid left paper. And no the NYT isn’t left. The US political spectrum is narrow in both politics and journalism — its right of center like most things in the US.
Although I must admit I do like Salon.com. Here’s a commentary which heavily critiques the security state the US finds itself in, and those of a libertarian bent whether left or right may find something they like here.
http://www.salon.com/2013/04/22/in_boston_our_bloated_surveillance_state_didnt_work/
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Finally something for the conspiracy minded. A tale of a US military plot to bomb itself and implicate Cuba.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92662&page=1#.UXWYPMq4ZIQ
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We liked this. Newspapers rule.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/chicago-tribune-treats-boston-globe-pizza
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facebook meme on the texas explosion; picture of Rick Perry with this caption: “We cant’ afford to give federal money to people up north that suffer through a natural disaster. We need federal money for my state because a greedy private company we didn’t regulate or inspect destroyed a town” ….. privatize profit socialize risk.
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“Hence the Daily Mirror which AJ links is conservative and makes FOX look positively centrist.”
I 😆 at that one.
See, it’s about comparisons. Fox looks far right here because most of the media is so far left. In reality they’re moderate. 🙂 Just depends on your perspective I guess.
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Trust me AJ — the American media is right of center in comparison. The American political spectrum is incredibly narrow. FOX and NYT and not that far apart in comparison to the media differences in other countries especially Britain.
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HRW, There were millions of Americans who voted for Ron Paul. There were hundreds of thousands of Southerners who petitioned for their states to be allowed to secede in the last several months. On the flip side, most members of the Black Caucus (and their supporters) are at least as far to the left as the above-described folks are to the right. Does that sound like a narrow spectrum?
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Secession movements rarely have anything to do with left-right politics especially the economic sphere. Secession movements in the US can be based on political disengagement, anti-federalism, distinct culture, or even convenience. Here’s an interesting link … note the Vermont secession movement.
http://io9.com/5923080/10-movements-to-secede-from-the-united-states
Ron Paul may be a bit of a libertarian crank but he isn’t as far right as the UKIP or English National Front. In fact he was a featured speaker of the Canadian Conservative party. As for the left, the furthest to the left in the US Congress is Bernie Saunders and possibly Elizabeth Warren in the Senate and Alan Grayson in the House now that Dennis Kuscinch is no longer there. Incidentally, they’re white, colour has little to do with the political spectrum. (I’m sure you can alert me to a few people of colour who may lean as left as Grayson but not Saunders a lady from California comes to mind) Meanwhile, in Canada the New Democratic Party is social democratic ( the largest oppositional party) and significantly to the left of the Liberal party and in the UK, RESPECT is far to the left of Labour and has had some electoral success (mainly George Galloway). Outside of the Anglosphere, the parties are even further apart. The US political spectrum for all its bitterness is not that large and in fact some astute observers think the bitterness is a result of the lack of any real difference. And given the lack of party unity in the US, much of the division is posturing to allow for pork barrel and earmarks.
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hwesseli,
You sound like you know what you are talking about…
I think you really miss the boat. Republicans want individual people to be responsible for themselves. Democrats want government to be responsible for people.
If you just give liberals enough time and enough money, they can fix any problem. If they don’t fix the problem it is because they need a little more time and a little more money. They have the “Vision of the Anointed.”
Oh, bye the way, I won’t be voting for Rubio after this immigration bill.
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HRW, You started my day with a laugh again when you said, “colour has little to do with the political spectrum”. Blacks vote over 90% for Democrats and have for 50 years. Bernie Sanders would be a moderate in the Black Caucus. Blacks consistently vote for the liberal in Democrat primaries and don’t vote in Republican primaries. The last black senator (Obama) had the most liberal voting record in the Senate. 91% of white Mississipians voted Republican in the last election. The numbers weren’t that different across the South. Color is the single best predictor of one’s political views.
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