-President Obama Calls Boston Mayor, Mass. Governor
-UK Police Review Security Ahead of Sunday’s Marathon
AT LEAST two are dead and up to 64 people had been wounded. Witnesses said that some of the injured had lost limbs. Victims with horrific injuries were carried to the medical tent that was set up for runners; others were pushed in wheelchairs on hand if competitors collapsed.
Pools of blood stained the pavements as the two blasts ripped through the area within about 30 seconds each other near the city’s central Copley Square. They caused panic and terror in the crowds massed to watch one of the world’s biggest marathons.
Police deployed bomb squad teams and bomb-sniffing dogs as they searched for explosive devices. Some witnesses said that the first explosion seemed to come from a building.
The explosions have caused British police to review security plans ahead of Sunday’s London Marathon, the next major international marathon.
The London Marathon is a hugely popular race. Last year, some 37,500 athletes competed, with many more watching the springtime event.
London has long been considered a top target for international terrorists. In 2005, a series of suicide attacks on the public transport system in the British capital killed 52 people. London and mainland Britain also face a moderate threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism, according to the government.
Two bombs exploded near the finish of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing two people, and injuring 22 others, race organizers and police said.
A London Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed Monday that police here are working with marathon officials to review security plans for Sunday’s race, with an eye toward establishing a larger security presence. The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to go on the record.
The London race’s chief executive, Nick Bitel, expressed shock and sadness about the situation in Boston, saying “it is a very sad day for athletics and for our friends in marathon running.”
An apparent third explosion also took place at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, some three miles from the finish line of the marathon. No one was believed to have been injured in that blast.
The scale of the double explosion, the popularity of the event and the symbolism of the date – Patriot’s Day, a festive New England public holiday – prompted immediate fears of a terrorism attack.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the Boston Marathon termed the blasts as “bombs”. Two high-ranking law enforcement officials told Reuters the blasts had been caused by bombs.
Law enforcement officials told the NBC network that they believed that at least one-blast was the result of a home-made bomb. Some witnesses described ball-bearing injuries, a further indicator that a bomb was responsible.
A senior US intelligence official said two more explosive devices have been found near the scene. The official said the new devices were being dismantled, at least one with a water cannon.
Paul Browne, New York police deputy commissioner, said that the department was deploying counter-terrorism vehicles around landmarks in Manhattan, including hotels and tunnels, in response to the explosions.
President Obama is in touch with Massachusetts officials regarding the fatal explosion in Boston and has directed his administration to provide “whatever assistance is necessary” to investigate and respond.
A White House official said the president has called Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to “express his concern for those who were injured and to make clear that his administration is ready to provide needed support as they respond to the incident.”
Obama was briefed by Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco and other members of his senior staff Monday afternoon.
Details of the explosion, which ripped through the crowded finish line at the Boston Marathon, are emerging. Boston police say at least two are dead and 23 injured.
Attorney General Eric Holder has spoken with FBI Director Robert Mueller and has likewise directed the “full resources” of the Justice Department to be deployed, a spokesperson said.
Vice President Biden, during a conference call on gun violence, also commented on the tragedy.
“I don’t know any of the details of what caused it, who did it … but our prayers are with those people in Boston who suffered injury,” Biden said.
Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and 2012 Republican presidential nominee, tweeted: “Our hearts are heavy with the news out of Boston today.”