Page 349 - Forensics News Today

Devices. how important are those right now to investigators? >> well, i think its still a little unclear about that information. but if there are indeed unexploded devices, that will be a treasure-trove for the forensic investigators, much easier to read the forensics on the unexploded devices. theyll be looking at the bomb signature, the materials inside the bomb. do they bare the hallmarks of groups like al qaeda, things like hydrogen peroxide, agents that they have used before. theyll be exam...

Criminal, in this case the terrorist. i do think the video they have from the scene will help facilitate the appearance of the individual who dropped this backpack into the trash cans. and i think the explosive forensics thats going to be done i think will give us a lot of information to move this information forward. but like you, i am concerned and the lone wolf homegrown terrorist is probably the most difficult to prevent and most difficult to apprehend after the fact. because theyre operatin...

Cameras that are around, and all the cell phone cameras that people had, were still talking of an area where there were thousands of people. so that will take time to go through. >> when the source tell me the early forensics, that there was some progress, he was talking about the debris collected from the crime scene. but youre absolutely right. im familiar with the neighborhood. i grew up there, and when im in boston, i go to that area all the time. you know it as a busy shopping, busy tourist...

Thats why i think its important to sort of be cautious on who are they interviewing because the rumors tend to all merge together and its important to just sort of let the story line figure out where its going and then let the forensics sort of lead to the suspects. im pretty confident we have about 24 or 48 hours before a big break, only because there are so many cameras here. >> fran townsend, its also patriots day holiday today, commemorates the first battle of the revolutionary war, april 17...

Again, we want to urge caution how we approach that information. but what is the latest youre hearing? >> anderson, this is an individual who had a leg wound, is this the hospital, is a saudi national. they were very clear to say to me this person is not under arrest, and quite frankly, while we know about this one, i suspect that there are other persons of interest. so we shouldnt read too much into that. in the early goings of any investigation, your going to find there are plenty of people wh...

Right now i want to bring in barbara starr. barbara, you just got some new details on this investigation. what have you just learned? >> well, john, we now know that about 1,000 national guard massachusetts and from other new england states assembling on scene to support local law enforcement and help them out. people have been talking about this as a war zone. literally, john, the u.s. military intelligence working with the fbi, they have years of experience together now from the wars in iraq a...

Can use them in the al qaeda magazine. but they have also been common in other sorts of attacks, does that lead you down a path of foreign or domestic? have you had any indications as to which it will be? >> i think the jurys still out, whether its a foreign or terrorist related attack. one possibility thats not mentioned is that it could be foreign inspired, like the inspired magazine that al qaeda put out that shows you how to make these bombs in your mothers kitchen essentially. the ideaa it ...

Potential connections to see in what direction when you pull it all together the facts lead them. >> paul, although we dont know yet, very quickly, how soon would you expect to have a much clearer idea? >> its difficult to tell how the investigation is going to go. but the forensics will be absolutely key. maybe there will be some sort of claim of responsibility, maybe somebody will be brought into custody that can shed light on what happened. but theres a huge effort right now under way, piers....

That. but the investigation will proceed. they will look at the forensics at some of these recovered devices and they may be able to see the signature of the explosives, are they similar to the type of bombs used by say al qaeda or other groups. that may start to provide some answers. >> i heard you say earlier the fact these werent big devices would perhaps suggest it isnt an al qaeda operation, that they would go for a more dramatic impact with the devices. also, there are these ball bearings ...

For attacks on sporting venues and crowded places. that doesnt mean that al qaeda was responsible. >> its patriots date and tax day and lots of potential reasons -- >> and the anniversary of the bin laden raid. >> that would lend more to a bin laden thing but the others could lend toits a domestic terror attack theory. what will the fbi be really pushing now? >> absolutely. and the forensics will be crucial as well. if they have recovered an intact device, lit be much, much easier. if they do th...