# Likely Suspects in Boston Marathon Bombing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946 "2013-04-17T16:40:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/21 "2013-04-17T17:55:57Z")
Loner. On the fringe of whatever political stripe he happens to identify with. Probably with ties to Boston and picked the marathon for the size of the event not the date. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/22 "2013-04-17T17:56:39Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Yeah, it isn’t like there is going to be any reason that makes sense. It’s not like when they catch the guy and he issues his manifesto and we’ll all be, “ohh, well in that case, let him go, he makes a good point.” Truth. Though, oddly enough, sometimes the manifesto gets some traction eventually; a U of Michigan philosophy prof is co-authoring a book on the philosophy of technology with Ted Kaczynski. [http://chronicle.com/article/The-Unabombers-Pen-Pal/131892/](http://chronicle.com/article/The-Unabombers-Pen-Pal/131892/) ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/23 "2013-04-17T18:09:13Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Loner. On the fringe of whatever political stripe he happens to identify with. Probably with ties to Boston and picked the marathon for the size of the event not the date. I agree with this. A terrorist organization would have claimed credit. I feel like the bigger and more idealogical the group, the more likely they are going to want to take credit (in order to make some sort of ‘point’). Some loner may have other reasons, and might be shrewd enough to keep a low profile, which is what looks like has been happening. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/24 "2013-04-17T18:17:15Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > … A terrorist organization would have claimed credit… I’m shocked that no one has taken “credit”. It used to be that numerous terrorist groups would claim responsibility for an attack and that the hard part was trying to figure out which one (if any) did it. Maybe our stealth programs are actually working. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/25 "2013-04-17T18:19:31Z")
If you notice, domestic terrorists don’t seem to take credit. I don’t think they did for OC, the Olympics, or any of the abortion clinic attacks. Looks like we might know soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/26 "2013-04-17T18:45:37Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > If you notice, domestic terrorists don’t seem to take credit. I don’t think they did for OC, the Olympics, or any of the abortion clinic attacks. Looks like we might know soon enough. The Olympic bombing and most of the abortion clinic bombings were from one guy. Hard to extrapolate from one data point. Timothy mcveigh was apprehended very soon after the OKC bombing so it’s unknown how he would have played it if he got away. Other domestic terrorists such as the Unibomber did take credit. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/27 "2013-04-17T18:52:31Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Just to be clear, Richard Jewell has completely exonerated and was actually something of a hero. > > But, if I were a betting man, I would also bet on a right-wing nut a la McVeigh. Yes. Which is exactly why I referenced him. Jeesh, phreesh. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/28 "2013-04-17T19:01:32Z")
I would put my money on someone with no more of a coherent political stance than [Jared Loughner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Lee_Loughner#Views_on_politics). ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/29 "2013-04-17T19:03:32Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > If you notice, domestic terrorists don’t seem to take credit. We don’t know, though, whether there would ever have been a claim of responsibility in connection with, say, the shoe bomber, the underwear bomber, or the Times Square bomber, because they were stopped and identified anyway. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/30 "2013-04-17T19:20:51Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Yes. Which is exactly why I referenced him. Jeesh, phreesh. My apologies. In my defence, your post could be read such that you were referring to the similar event at the Atlanta olympics where Richard Jewell set off a bomb. I underestimated the intelligence of the average doper, which I should really stop doing. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/31 "2013-04-17T19:31:41Z")
Heading down the Richard Jewell train of thought, there’s Carlos Arredondo. He lost a son in the Iraq war, and went a little nuts afterwards, setting himself on fire in his grief. In 2007 he was beaten at an anti-war protest by several right-wing nutters. In 2011 his second son committed suicide, apparently unable to deal with the loss of his brother. With all the anguish in his life, what if he thought that, if he could be a hero, he could have something else to focus on? It’s no longer Carlos Arredondo, the anti-war activist who set himself on fire. Now it’s Carlos Arredondo, the hero of the Boston Marathon. When the bombs went off he was right there in the thick of it, tending to the wounded. He’s in the papers and on TV being called a hero and what a wonderful person he is. It’s a horrible thought, but I wonder if the FBI’s considered it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/32 "2013-04-17T19:34:27Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > We should know soon. CNN’s website has the “Breaking News” banner that a suspect has been identified. CNN has retracted this. There has been no arrest. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/33 "2013-04-17T19:39:49Z")
Although I’m leaning towards someone who is from Boston who picked the day because its a big event, I am also thinking it might be someone who had planned to do it at the NYC marathon. That was cancelled because of Hurricane Sandy. The Boston Marathon is held on the 3rd Monday in April. Its a coincidence that it was on tax day this year. That won’t stop whoever it is to try and tie it to the act as well. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/34 "2013-04-17T19:39:55Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > Heading down the Richard Jewell train of thought, there’s Carlos Arredondo. > > He lost a son in the Iraq war, and went a little nuts afterwards, setting himself on fire in his grief. In 2007 he was beaten at an anti-war protest by several right-wing nutters. In 2011 his second son committed suicide, apparently unable to deal with the loss of his brother. > > With all the anguish in his life, what if he thought that, if he could be a hero, he could have something else to focus on? It’s no longer Carlos Arredondo, the anti-war activist who set himself on fire. Now it’s Carlos Arredondo, the hero of the Boston Marathon. When the bombs went off he was right there in the thick of it, tending to the wounded. He’s in the papers and on TV being called a hero and what a wonderful person he is. > > It’s a horrible thought, but I wonder if the FBI’s considered it. I know you won’t believe me, but that’s what I was thinking yesterday. I was afraid to suggest it because I thought I’d come across as a lunatic. So, I’m glad I wasn’t the only one thinking it. And not the only lunatic. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/35 "2013-04-17T19:41:54Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > Heading down the Richard Jewell train of thought, there’s Carlos Arredondo. > > He lost a son in the Iraq war, and went a little nuts afterwards, setting himself on fire in his grief. In 2007 he was beaten at an anti-war protest by several right-wing nutters. In 2011 his second son committed suicide, apparently unable to deal with the loss of his brother. > > With all the anguish in his life, what if he thought that, if he could be a hero, he could have something else to focus on? It’s no longer Carlos Arredondo, the anti-war activist who set himself on fire. Now it’s Carlos Arredondo, the hero of the Boston Marathon. When the bombs went off he was right there in the thick of it, tending to the wounded. He’s in the papers and on TV being called a hero and what a wonderful person he is. > > It’s a horrible thought, but I wonder if the FBI’s considered it. The main reason that Richard Jewell was a suspect was because of an incident at the Olympics in Los Angeles. There a bomb was discovered by a security guard, who had turned out to have planted it. The boobs at the FBI were playing Captain Queeg and reliving their prior success while smearing a man who was actually a hero. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/36 "2013-04-17T19:42:11Z")
I subscribe to the lone nutter theory. His political views will be incoherent. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/37 "2013-04-17T19:42:11Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > He’s in the papers and on TV being called a hero and what a wonderful person he is. > > It’s a horrible thought, but I wonder if the FBI’s considered it. He’s in the papers and on TV because someone took a notable picture of him trying to stop the bleeding of a man who’d lost his legs. Its hard to see how he could’ve planned that out ahead of time. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/38 "2013-04-17T20:01:59Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > He’s in the papers and on TV because someone took a notable picture of him trying to stop the bleeding of a man who’d lost his legs. Its hard to see how he could’ve planned that out ahead of time. By being nearby when the bombs went off, he would be on-scene immediately, and would be very visible as one of the first responders rendering medical aid. It doesn’t matter who he was treating, he would be seen treating someone, and he could easily focus his attention on helping someone seriously wounded to make his role seem more critical. With all the press at the finish line I’d say it’s a sure thing someone would get photos of whatever he was doing. That cowboy hat makes him stand out for any reporter who wants to interview him, and interview him they did. I don’t think it’s him, but I think the argument can be made. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/39 "2013-04-17T20:52:12Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > By being nearby when the bombs went off, he would be on-scene immediately, and would be very visible as one of the first responders rendering medical aid. Name another first responder who has been recognized by name in the media. There were many heroes Monday, yet he was the only one who has been named, solely because he was in that horrific picture. That could not be planned, and without that photo, he would just be another nameless hero. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946/40 "2013-04-17T21:06:12Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Name another first responder who has been recognized by name in the media. [Joe Andruzzi](http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/9176513/joe-andruzzi-former-new-england-patriots-player-helps-boston-marathon-blasts) But this idea is pretty silly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likely-suspects-in-boston-marathon-bombing/655946.md?page=3)