Their casual demeanors and matching outfits — baseball caps, hoodies and backpacks — hid their homicidal intent.
The FBI released still photos and video Thursday of the two prime suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing, urging the American public to help arrest the killers wanted for the terrorist attack.
Officials believe the breakthrough release could produce rapid arrests in the stunning twin blasts that killed three and injured 183 victims during the typically festive Patriots’ Day run.
The bombers were considered armed and dangerous as the intensive manhunt continued for a fourth day, the FBI said.
.jpg "CCTV shows Boston Marathon bombing suspects & FBI seek help for identify")
“Somebody out there knows these individuals as friends, neighbors, co-workers or family members of the suspects,” said Boston FBI head Richard DesLauriers at a news conference.
“Though it may be difficult, the nation is counting on those with information to come forward and provide it to us.”
The details came one day after authorities said the 24-hour-a-day probe, featuring 30 law enforcement agencies, was closing in on the suspected bombmakers.
Despite the discovery of the good-quality video — a needle in an ever-growing haystack of evidence — authorities offered no clue as to the motive behind the gruesome attack.
And they could not attach a name to either suspect, or offer any clues to their whereabouts.
The duo — identified only as Suspect 1 and Suspect 2 — strolled one behind the other along a crowded Boylston St. sidewalk.
The suspected plotters showed no sign of impending malice as they walked mere paces apart, moving in lockstep behind spectators pressed against a nearby railing.
Suspect 1 wore sunglasses and a black hat, which appears to have a Bridgestone Golf logo. Suspect 2 wore a white hat turned backward. Both toted shrapnel-packed homemade bombs tucked inside their backpacks, officials said.
Roughly 13 minutes after the video captured the two men walking together, Suspect 2 was spotted placing his white bag on the street outside a restaurant.
Suspect 2 was carrying the second bomb, which exploded just 12 seconds after the first blast tore into onlookers gathered to cheer on runners reaching the finish line four hours into the marathon. The white male with a protruding nose was last seen heading west on Boylston St., according to DesLauriers.
The FBI had no further information on what happened to Suspect 1, who carried a black backpack, once he peeled away from his co-conspirator.
“Identifying and locating those responsible is now our highest priority,” DesLauriers said. “That is our focus now.”
The FBI was working on “developing additional images” to help identify the suspects, he added.
DesLauriers asked anyone with information on the suspects, or the case, to call (800) 225-5324 or visit http://bostonmarathontips.fbi.gov.
“No bit of information, no matter how seemingly small or inconsequential, is too small for us to see,” the FBI agent said. “We know the public will play a critical role in identifying and locating these individuals.”
He also encouraged anyone in the area of the Forum restaurant to reach out if they saw the suspect.
“For more than 100 years, the FBI has relied upon the public to be its eyes and ears,” said DesLauriers. “With the media’s help, in an instant, these images will be delivered directly into the hands of millions around the world.”
The FBI’s overwhelmed website crashed within minutes of the highly-anticipated announcement, but was quickly restored.
While investigators hope the release of the evidence could land the suspects behind bars, there’s also the chance that the probe could bog down in a paralyzing flood of bad tips.
DesLauriers said the two suspects remained the only “people of interest” sought for planting the homemade bombs in the still unexplained attack.
A former member of the New York FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task Force told the Daily News that he suspected the attack was the work of U.S. residents.
The FBI released still photos and video Thursday of the two prime suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing, urging the American public to help arrest the killers wanted for the terrorist attack.
Officials believe the breakthrough release could produce rapid arrests in the stunning twin blasts that killed three and injured 183 victims during the typically festive Patriots’ Day run.
The bombers were considered armed and dangerous as the intensive manhunt continued for a fourth day, the FBI said.
“Somebody out there knows these individuals as friends, neighbors, co-workers or family members of the suspects,” said Boston FBI head Richard DesLauriers at a news conference.
“Though it may be difficult, the nation is counting on those with information to come forward and provide it to us.”
The details came one day after authorities said the 24-hour-a-day probe, featuring 30 law enforcement agencies, was closing in on the suspected bombmakers.
Despite the discovery of the good-quality video — a needle in an ever-growing haystack of evidence — authorities offered no clue as to the motive behind the gruesome attack.
And they could not attach a name to either suspect, or offer any clues to their whereabouts.
The duo — identified only as Suspect 1 and Suspect 2 — strolled one behind the other along a crowded Boylston St. sidewalk.
The suspected plotters showed no sign of impending malice as they walked mere paces apart, moving in lockstep behind spectators pressed against a nearby railing.
Suspect 1 wore sunglasses and a black hat, which appears to have a Bridgestone Golf logo. Suspect 2 wore a white hat turned backward. Both toted shrapnel-packed homemade bombs tucked inside their backpacks, officials said.
Roughly 13 minutes after the video captured the two men walking together, Suspect 2 was spotted placing his white bag on the street outside a restaurant.
Suspect 2 was carrying the second bomb, which exploded just 12 seconds after the first blast tore into onlookers gathered to cheer on runners reaching the finish line four hours into the marathon. The white male with a protruding nose was last seen heading west on Boylston St., according to DesLauriers.
The FBI had no further information on what happened to Suspect 1, who carried a black backpack, once he peeled away from his co-conspirator.
“Identifying and locating those responsible is now our highest priority,” DesLauriers said. “That is our focus now.”
The FBI was working on “developing additional images” to help identify the suspects, he added.
DesLauriers asked anyone with information on the suspects, or the case, to call (800) 225-5324 or visit http://bostonmarathontips.fbi.gov.
“No bit of information, no matter how seemingly small or inconsequential, is too small for us to see,” the FBI agent said. “We know the public will play a critical role in identifying and locating these individuals.”
He also encouraged anyone in the area of the Forum restaurant to reach out if they saw the suspect.
“For more than 100 years, the FBI has relied upon the public to be its eyes and ears,” said DesLauriers. “With the media’s help, in an instant, these images will be delivered directly into the hands of millions around the world.”
The FBI’s overwhelmed website crashed within minutes of the highly-anticipated announcement, but was quickly restored.
While investigators hope the release of the evidence could land the suspects behind bars, there’s also the chance that the probe could bog down in a paralyzing flood of bad tips.
DesLauriers said the two suspects remained the only “people of interest” sought for planting the homemade bombs in the still unexplained attack.
A former member of the New York FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task Force told the Daily News that he suspected the attack was the work of U.S. residents.
Source : NYDailyNews
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