TerrorismNot all questions about the Tsarnaev brothers have been answered
What caused Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to plant two bombs at the Boston Marathon finish line continues to puzzle investigators. Understanding the information which was available to local and federal law enforcement authorities before and after the attack might help prevent a future attack.
Surveillance camera images taken moments before explosions // Source: vcu.edu
What caused Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to plant two bombs at the Boston Marathon finish line continues to puzzle investigators. Understanding the information which was available to local and federal law enforcement authorities before and after the attack might help prevent a future attack. Representative William Keating (D-Massachusetts), a former prosecutor, sits on the Homeland Security Committee, has focused on this question, and on how the government mayt be able to prevent future attacks by improving the sharing of information among federal and local law enforcement agencies.
The Boston Globe reports that on 31 July 2012 Keating sent a letter to FBI director James Comey, seeking information about the agency’s knowledge of the alleged bombers before and after the attack. Keating also wanted to know whether and what information was shared with local police.
The FBI responded to Keatin on 22 November 2012, reiterating the FBI’s previous position which stated that local police had access to FBI’s knowledge of the two brothers through a computer network called “Guardian.” The Globe notes that the letter also mentioned the need to protect “civil liberties and privacy” while investigating crime, terrorism, and threats to national security.
Keating, still uncertain of the reliability of information sharing among law enforcement agencies, said searching the Guardian database is like looking for “a needle in a haystack.” The Homeland Security Committee’s report on the Marathon bombings is expected in early 2014. Keating expects that the report will address concerns about information sharing and recommend procedural changes. Keating also expects an upcoming report from a Florida prosecutor about the FBI’s shooting of Ibragim Todashev, who was questioned about a slaying in Waltham, which the Globe suggests might be tied to Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
There are unanswered questions about Todashev’s death concerning the FBI shooting as well as about Massachusetts state troopers who took part in the Todashev investigation. “I just wonder this out loud,” said Keating. “I’ll be curious to see what this investigation entailed. How much of it is original? How much of it was given by the FBI? Will it really be an independent review by Florida?”
Obtaining clarity and information on the Marathon bombing has proven difficult since several key officials involved in the investigation have since resigned. Robert Mueller departed as FBI director in September 2013. Richard DesLauriers, the head of the Boston FBI office resigned in July 2013. Janet Napolitano, the Homeland Security secretary, resigned in September 2013. Also in September 2013, Edward Davis resigned as Boston police commissioner. In a testimony before Congress, Davis said the FBI should share more information about potential terror threats with local police.
