Pursuit

It appears that the terrorists (who are brothers) who struck Boston are from the Caucasus in Russia, where the Russians have battled jihadis for decades. It is unclear if they are Chechen, or not.

One suspected terrorist is dead--possibly from their own explosives--as is a security officer. A law enforcement officer is in surgery from wounds in the pursuit. The other suspect is on the run while public transportation is shut down in the region and businesses were asked to remain closed.

Al Qaeda has long tried to get jihadis who don't look Arab to blend in better. Is this a case of this? Are there handlers or accomplices still out there? Bombings in Iraq had teams to build bombs, scout sites, place bombs, and otherwise support the effort. Or are these self-radicalized individuals?

UPDATE: A lot of leftist pundits will be extremely disappointed that this wasn't a Kansas-based plot.

Also, the Russians fought a brutal war in Chechnya to beat down the Moslem independence fight there. The Russians still face a terrorist threat. So for all those who are so eager to look for reasons for terrorists to hate us and attack us, why did they hate us?--the country that gave them a home?

UPDATE: Are the Russian authorities looking for links or accomplices over there?

UPDATE: Is it possible that the motivation to kill is a personal one rather than being their part in the jihad? These men have been here a while. Seriously, WTF. A sleeper cell? When the youngest is 19 years old? That doesn't make sense.

But once again, this is early, with the pursuit beginning last night and information still fluid.

UPDATE: The two had explosives with them when they were chased. Were they planning more bombings on the assumption they would not be caught? Or were these bombs left over from a bigger original Boston Marathon plot because other bomb planters got cold feet? Pure speculation, but they did have more explosives, it seems.

UPDATE: I always feel bad for relatives of bad guys. They get caught in the web of their violence and are tainted and burdened by violence thay had no responsibility for causing.