Boston Marathon Bombs: FBI Hunts 'Suspect'

Investigators have revealed they have an image of a potential suspect taken from security footage before the deadly Boston Marathon bombings.

The picture is believed to have come from CCTV video taken before the twin attacks, in what could be the biggest breakthrough in the case.

It apparently shows a man carrying and possibly dropping a black bag at the second bomb scene on Boylston Street, outside the Forum restaurant, and then walking away.

The surveillance video is believed to have been taken at the Lord and Taylor department store between the sites of the two blasts, which were seconds and about 100 metres apart on the same road.

A forensic officer carries evidence from a rooftop near one of the blasts

Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle will attend an interfaith service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross later today in the city.

Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is also expected to attend.

It comes as police said no-one has been arrested over Monday's bombings, despite reports in the US media that a suspect was in custody.

The Associated Press earlier claimed a law enforcement official had said a person was detained and was set to be taken to the federal court in the city.

The FBI released images of parts of the bombs

Other media outlets also reported there had been an arrest. But the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US attorney's office in Boston and the police disputed that.

"Despite reports to the contrary there has not been an arrest in the Marathon attack," the Boston police department said on Twitter.

The FBI also said there had been "no arrests made," urging the media to "exercise caution".

Boston City Council president Stephen Murphy, who was 50 yards from one of the explosions, warned Sky News this investigation could be long and drawn out.

Martin Richard, eight, was killed in the explosions

He said: "There were tens of thousands of people out there on Boylston Street and so much movement and so much going on and so much to look at, and everybody's emailing, texting tips, to law enforcement.

"People are poring over that."

The explosive devices involved pressure cooker bombs hidden inside duffel bags packed with nails, shards of metal and ball bearings, placed on the ground near the finish line of the race.

Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi was with friends when she was killed

Three people were killed and more than 170 others were injured in the twin blasts on Monday.

Those killed include eight-year-old Martin Richard, who was waiting to give his father a hug as he crossed the finish line; restaurant manager Krystle Campbell, 29, and Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi, who was studying at Boston University.

Scores of victims remain in hospitals, many seriously injured. Seventeen people, one as young as give, remain in critical condition.

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Texas: Up To 70 Dead In Fertiliser Plant Blast

Up to 70 people have been killed and hundreds injured after an explosion at a fertiliser plant in Texas, according to reports.

A plume of smoke rises up after the explosion Pic: KWTX-TV

The blast, near Waco, was so powerful several nearby buildings were destroyed and a nursing home was badly damaged.

Local reports have suggested a number of people are trapped in the nursing home and a block of flats.

A plume of smoke rises up after the explosion Pic: KWTX-TV

Police officers have reportedly been transporting the injured to local hospitals in their patrol cars.

As many as a dozen helicopters have been sent to the West High School stadium where ambulances are waiting to transport victims to hospitals.

Local media reports claim firefighters had been trying to put out a fire at the plant when the explosion happened.

This image shows the initial blast Pic: KWTX-TV

A number are believed to have been injured.

The explosion in the town of West comes on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege - a deadly confrontation between federal authorities and heavily armed locals.

The injured are treated at a nearby sports field

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Poisoned Letter Sent To Office Of US Senator

A poison-laced letter addressed to a Mississippi senator has been intercepted by officials.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the envelope containing ricin was addressed to Roger Wicker.

The envelope reportedly tested positive for the toxin on Tuesday. Mr Reid did not say when the letter had been sent or when it was found.

Another senator, Claire McCaskill, said the letter was from an individual who frequently writes to lawmakers.

The FBI and US Capitol Police are investigating. Mr Wicker's office declined to comment on the incident.

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said the letter was discovered at a mail processing plant in Prince George's County in suburban Maryland.

Post sent to the US capitol is routinely screened off-site before being delivered to lawmakers' offices.

Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Terrance Gainer said the envelope was postmarked in Memphis, Tennessee, and did not have a return address.

He said there is "no indication that there are other suspect mailings".

According to the US Centres for Disease Control, ricin is a naturally occurring toxin that can be distilled into a potentially lethal substance.

A very small amount can kill an adult human if injected or inhaled. It is also dangerous if ingested.

The discovery is heightening terrorism fears one day after three people were killed and 170 injured in twin bombings at the Boston Marathon.

In 2001 letters containing anthrax spores were sent to two senators and to several news media offices in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

Five people died of anthrax poisoning and 17 people were infected. Those attacks, initially feared to be linked to 9/11, were later found to be unrelated.

The FBI ultimately blamed the attack on a government scientist who committed suicide in 2008.

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Boston Bombs: FBI Releases Images Of Device

The FBI is still trying to discover who carried out the deadly Boston Marathon bomb attacks as images of the devices are released.

The pictures show one of the mangled pressure cooker bombs that went off near the finish line of the event - killing three people.

Meanwhile, the mother of a restaurant manager killed in the bombings has revealed she is "heartbroken" after her death.

Another FBI image shows the mangled pressure cooker bomb

Krystle Campbell, 29, was the second of the three people killed in the blasts on Monday to be identified.

She had gone with her best friend to take a picture of the friend's boyfriend crossing the finish line on Monday afternoon when the bombs went off.

Mother Patty Campbell said: "She was a wonderful person and everyone who knew her loved her.

"She was always smiling and was such a hard-worker in everything she did. This just doesn't make any sense."

Krystle Campbell was with a friend at the race

Boston University said the third victim was a graduate student who was watching the race with friends at the finish line, close to the university.

The Chinese consulate said the victim was an exchange student, but has not identified them.

The first victim to be identified, eight-year-old Martin Richard, was waiting with his family to give his father a hug at the finish line when he was killed.

Eight-year-old Martin Richard was killed in one of the blasts

His sister Jane lost a leg and his mother Denise, 43, is understood to have undergone surgery for a serious head injury after they were also caught in the blast.

President Obama will visit Boston on Thursday and will attend an interfaith service in memory of those killed.

On Tuesday, he branded the bombings an act of terrorism, but said investigators did not know whether they were carried out by a solo bomber or a group.

The FBI also vowed to "go to the ends of the Earth" to find out who carried out the attacks.

Forensic investigators work at the scene of one of the bomb blasts

More than 24 hours since the twin blasts, the FBI has few breakthroughs to report and no apparent motive.

Special agent Rick DesLauriers said that specialists in Virginia will "reconstruct the device".

Doctors have revealed the extent of the injuries suffered by those caught in the blasts, including details of a nine-year-old girl who had lost her leg and a 10-year-old boy who suffered deep shrapnel wounds.

People attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of the attacks

Several people have had to have limbs amputated and others are at risk of losing legs following the blasts that ripped through crowds during the city's marathon.

The explosive devices involved pressure cooker bombs hidden inside duffel bags packed with nails, shards of metal and ball bearings, placed on the ground around 100m apart along the finishing stretch of the Boston Marathon route.

Seventeen people remain in a critical condition after the blasts.

Security has been stepped up in Washington and New York, and Boston remains on high alert, although there have been no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack.

Police are said to have questioned a 20-year-old Saudi Arabian man who is being treated for injuries at a hospital in Boston.

Officers have searched his apartment in Revere, according to his flatmate.

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Boston Marathon Explosions: Live Updates

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1:14am UK, Tuesday 16 April 2013

The moment the blast happened

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Boston Marathon Explosions Leave Three Dead

At least three people have been killed and more than 130 others hurt after two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, police have said.

The blasts ripped through the crowd, with one explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish.

Another happened a few seconds later, about 50-100 metres away. They took place about two hours after the men's winner had crossed the line.

Cheering spectators lined the street and some runners were finishing the race as the drama unfolded.

The blasts happened at the end of the marathon

By that point, more than 17,000 competitors had completed the marathon, but thousands of others were further back along the course.

TV helicopter footage showed blood on the pavement in the popular shopping and tourist area known as the Back Bay.

There were reports of a third blast at the JFK library a few miles away but that was later confirmed as a fire that was believed to be unrelated to the blasts.

Participants in the marathon were seen lying on the ground as the explosions tore through the finish line, sending smoke and debris soaring into the air.

A senior US intelligence official said two other explosive devices found near the end of 26-mile course were being dismantled. 

Boston Police asked people to stay indoors or go back to their hotel rooms and avoid crowds as bomb squads checked parcels and bags left along the race route.

More than 130 people were injured

Speaking at the White House, President Barack Obama said the tragedy was a "senseless loss".

He said Americans would say a prayer for the Boston people and he and wife Michelle "send our deepest thoughts and prayers" to the families of the victims.

He said the US did not know "who did this or why" but vowed that whoever was responsible "will feel the full weight of justice".

The President went on: "We will find out who did this and we will hold them accountable."

A senior administration official told Fox News the White House believed it was a terror attack.

Police said no suspect was in custody, and Fox reported ball bearings were found on the street.

A bomb squad officer at the scene of one of the blasts

Sky's Mark White said: "The ball bearings are likely to be shrapnel, leading to a growing suspicion the blasts were deliberate."

Some runners who had not finished the race were diverted down another road and into a family meeting area.

According to the Boston Marathon website, there were more than 25,000 registered entrants in the race, 374 of whom are British and there were also 108 Irish athletes.

The Federal Aviation Administration has warned pilots it had created a no-fly zone over the site.

Runners and race volunteers were crying as they fled the chaos. Smoke rose through international flags lining the route of the world's oldest and most prestigious marathon.

British police are now reviewing security plans for this Sunday's London Marathon after the US blasts.

Member of the bomb sqaud investigates suspicious bag

Video footage has emerged which showed the moment one of the explosions happened.

Police made their way through competitors as they ran towards the scene, and injured spectators were being carried to the medical tent that had been set up to care for tired runners.

Roupen Bastajian, a 35-year-old state trooper, had just finished the race when he heard the first explosion.

"I started running toward the blast. And there were people all over the floor," he said.

"We started grabbing tourniquets and started tying legs. A lot of people amputated. ... At least 25 to 30 people have at least one leg missing, or an ankle missing, or two legs missing."

A map shows the crimescene perimeter set up by police

A police officer was taken from the course with a leg injury that was bleeding.

"There are people who are really, really bloody," said Laura McLean, a runner from Toronto, who was in the medical tent being treated for dehydration when she was pulled out to make room for victims of the explosions.

New York police have stepped up security around key landmarks in the city after the double blasts.

Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Twitter: "The scenes from Boston are shocking and horrific - my thoughts are with all those who have been affected."

Boston Police said there is a helpline in the US for concerned relatives: 617 635 4500, and anybody with information about the blasts should call 1 800 494 tips.

The UK consulate in Boston said British Nationals in need of emergency consular assistance should call the Global Response Centre on 1 877 854 6872.

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North Korea Rebuffs Talks As A 'Crafty Trick'

North Korea has rejected the South's call to negotiate to resolve the nuclear crisis, calling it a "crafty trick".

The development came as US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Japan for the last leg of his four-day Asia tour aimed at reining in Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

South Korea last week urged the North to discuss stalled operations at a joint factory complex and other issues.

But an unidentified spokesman at the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said on Sunday that Pyongyang had no intention of talking with Seoul unless it abandoned its confrontational posture.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-UN has vowed to beef up its nuclear arsenal

It came as Mr Kerry held meetings in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and also with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who said North Korea could not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment deal with the threat posed by North Korea - and to hold talks with the regime if leader Kim Jong-Un was prepared to honour previous agreements on its missile and nuclear programme.

Mr Kerry said the US was "fully committed" to the defence of Japan on Sunday - just days after Pyongyang threatened the Japanese capital would be "consumed in nuclear flames".

In the past few weeks, North Korea has declared itself to be in a "state of war" with the South, announced that a mothballed nuclear site is to be reopened and threatened to carry out nuclear attacks against the US.

An anti-North Korea rally in Seoul on Sunday

Japan, separated by less than 1,000km (625 miles) of water and a frequent target of Pyongyang's anger, is in easy range, and has deployed Patriot missiles around Tokyo in anticipation of a missile launch by the North.

Speculation has been building since the North was reported to have loaded two mid-range Musudan missiles on mobile launchers and hidden them in underground facilities on its eastern coast.

The move last week prompted the US to bring forward its drone deployment to Japan and send an unmanned spy plane to its airbase in Misawa, in northern Japan.

The Musudan have never been tested but are believed to have a range of around 3,000km (1,860 miles), which could theoretically be pushed to 4,000km (2,485 miles).

US soldiers on a training exercise in Yeoncheon, northeast of Seoul

That would cover any target in South Korea and Japan, and possibly even reach US military bases located on the Pacific island of Guam - which Pyongyang has threatened to strike.

In Seoul, Mr Kerry warned North Korea it would do everything within its means to defend its allies - and that it would be making a "huge mistake" if it launched one of its medium-range missiles during the current standoff.

Japan is a firm ally of the US, More than 35,000 US military personnel are based across the islands.

Both nations share the view that the solution to the North Korean problem lies with Beijing.

Sky's Alex Rossi, who is in Tokyo, said: "There is a feeling here that if North Korea does decide to do something stupid, Japan may very well be in the firing line.

Female Korean soldiers on patrol in their high heels

"Tomorrow is the birthday - the 101st anniversary of the birth of the founding father of North Korea, Kim Il Sung - and it is possible that a medium-range missile may be tested or used."

On Saturday, the top US diplomat met China's leaders to persuade them to push North Korea, whose sole main ally is Beijing, to scale back its belligerence and return to the negotiating table over its suspected nuclear aims.

Both nations agreed to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis and to work together to ensure a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.

Tensions have soared in the region since December, when North Korea test-launched a long-range rocket. In February, it conducted its third nuclear test, which drew fresh UN sanctions.

Mr Kerry said there had been enough confrontational language on North Korea and he did not want to get into a cycle of threats and counter-threats with the reclusive nation.

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Oscar Pistorius 'Flirting And Downing Shots'

The spokeswoman for Oscar Pistorius has defended the runner after he was reportedly seen downing shots and flirting with women at a Johannesburg restaurant.

Since being released on bail, Pistorius has been staying at his uncle's house in Pretoria while awaiting his murder trial over shooting Reeva Steenkamp on February 14.

The double-amputee, who claims he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder when he shot her, has remained largely out of public view amid intense international interest in his case.

His spokeswoman, Anneliese Burgess, last week said the 26-year-old athlete had been "very isolated" but had begun a process of "interacting with people".

But South African press reports said Pistorius shocked patrons when he turned up, looking "relaxed and happy", at a party at the popular Kitchen Bar restaurant last Saturday.

Reports quoted people at the restaurant as saying Pistorius, sporting a beard, was flirting with several women and "knocking back" shots, which are known as shooters in South Africa.

"He was drinking shooters and he was flirtatious," one woman told the local Sunday Times.

Pistorius was released on bail on February 22

Ms Burgess defended the Olympian, saying Pistorius "strenuously and vigorously denies any inappropriate behaviour towards any people or women present, or 'partying it up' with shooters.

"Oscar did go out last Saturday with friends," she told the Sunday Times.

"It was the first time since the tragic and horrific events of February 14 that Oscar went out with friends.

"He has been out of the house with family, but this was the first time he went out to a restaurant with people other than close family.

"It is regrettable that what was supposed to be a low-key evening reconnecting with friends is now being blown out of proportion for sensational reasons."

Ms Burgess told the paper that Pistorius left the venue when "public interest became overwhelming".

He then went to a bar across the street for a short time, but "left for the same reason", Ms Burgess said.

Last week, the Pistorius family released a statement saying the athlete had been spending time with people who were close to Ms Steenkamp.

"Over the past few weeks, Oscar has found comfort in spending time and sharing memories with many of those whom she loved, in surroundings where shared memories were created," the family said.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead on Valentine's Day

They said he was traumatised and in mourning over his girlfriend's death.

Ms Burgess said: "There is not a moment in the day that Oscar does not mourn for his girlfriend, and Reeva's family and all those who were close to her are in his thoughts constantly."

Pistorius said he killed Ms Steenkamp, 29, by accident as he thought he was shooting an intruder when he fired through a bathroom door at his Pretoria home.

Prosecutors say he shot her after the couple had an argument.

The runner's agent, Peet van Zyl, has said Pistorius was running on his blades again and his return to regular training was imminent.

Pistorius is scheduled to be back in court on June 4. He could face a life sentence if found guilty of murder.

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Plane Plunges Into Water Near Bali Airport

A plane with more than 100 people on board has overshot a runway on the island of Bali and plunged into the sea.

Despite dramatic pictures showing the Lion Air jet with a broken fuselage, officials said everyone on board had survived.

The brand new Boeing 737-800 came to rest in shallow water and bright yellow life jackets could be seen littering the shore.

Passengers spoke of screaming in terror it hit the water and "chaos" erupting amid fears they would drown before escaping.

"There was no sign at all it would fall but then suddenly it dropped into the water," Tantri Widiastuti, 60, told Metro TV.

Tourists and locals gathered on the shoreline after the crash

Dewi, who suffered head wounds, added: "The aircraft was in landing position when suddenly I saw it getting closer to the sea, and finally it hit the water.

"All of the passengers were screaming in panic in fear they would drown. I left behind my belongings and went to an emergency door. I got out of the plane and swam before rescuers jumped in to help me."

Passengers in life jackets could be seen in the water as police in rubber dinghies rowed out from the shore.

The plane came to rest just yards beyond the airport edge

Lion Air said there were 95 adults, five children and a baby on board - as well as seven crew. They included three foreigners - a Frenchman, a Singaporean woman and a Singaporean man.

Bali police chief Arif Wahyunadi told local TV One that everyone had been evacuated and taken inside Denpasar airport.

He said the jet had flown in from Bandung, the capital of West Java province.

Some 40 people were treated for injuries including broken legs, head wounds and shock, though only four were admitted to hospital, officials said.

Ignatius Juan Sinduk, 45, was treated for breathing difficulties after his chest was injured in the crash.

A passenger being attended to a hospital in Kedongan, near Denpasar

Speaking from his hospital bed, he said: "The plane plunged into the sea at high speed. Everybody screamed and water suddenly surged into the plane.

"Passengers panicked and scrambled for life jackets. Some passengers fell, some ran into others, it was chaos. I managed to grab one (a lifejacket) and slowly swam out of the plane and to the shore."

The twin-engined aircraft was operated by local carrier Lion Air, a budget airline whose operating base is in Bandung.

Company spokesman Edward Sirait said the jet had been delivered to Lion Air in Indonesia on March 18 and had come "straight from the factory".

It started operations a week later and the pilot had been flying for the airline for six years.

He refused to comment on the possible cause of the crash but said: "The plane broke into two pieces," adding that "judging from visual observation, the plane cannot be used any more."

Lion Air - the first private airline in Indonesia - was founded in 1999 by multi-millionaire brothers Kusnan and Rusdi Kirana.

Bali is a popular tourist destination in Indonesia

It started operating in 2000 with just one aircraft in its fleet but quickly expanded operations to more than 36 locations across the sprawling archiplego nation.

The airline also flies to foreign locations, including Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, and uses a fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft.

Last month, it signed a $24bn (£18bn) deal with Airbus for 234 passenger jets and two years ago, it signed a contract with Boeing for 230 planes.

However, the rapidly-expanding carrier is reportedly banned from US and European airspace due to safety concerns.

Between 2004 and 2006, Lion Air suffered a series of six accidents, which all involved planes overshooting or missing the runway, although no-one died in those incidents. 

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France Jail Break: Prisoner Uses Explosives

A notorious robber has escaped from jail after blasting through five doors with explosives and taking several wardens hostage.

French police beside one of the doors that was blown up

Police and helicopters are hunting Redoine Faid, one of France's most dangerous gangsters who is known for robbing vehicles carrying cash in transit.

State prosecutor Frederic Fevre said Faid was a "particularly dangerous prisoner" who was armed and still in possession of explosives.

He said Faid, 40, had four hostages with him during the jail break in the northern town of Sequedin.

One was released just outside the prison and another a few hundred metres away, before the final two were left along a road.

The wardens were said to be extremely shocked, but safe.

Faid later set his getaway car on fire, abandoning it south of the city of Lille, and then got into a second vehicle which police were attempting to track.

The breakout happened in the town of Sequedin

France's justice minister Christiane Taubira said Interpol had been called in to help find Faid and a Europe-wide warrant had been issued.

"The hunt will initially focus on Belgium of course because we share a border but also extend to the entire Schengen area and beyond," she told reporters in Sequedin.

Wardens' unions described the prison break as "an act of war" and argued the jail was inadequate for such dangerous convicts.

Union official Etiene Dobremetz said Faid had received a visit from his wife earlier in the day.

But the wife's lawyer vehemently denied any suspicion of her involvement in the escape.

French justice minister Christiane Taubira at the scene

"It happened very quickly, it was clearly very well organised, we are still busy putting the facts together," a local administrative official said.

Rose Lafont was visiting her son in prison at the time and described the chaos caused by Faid's escape.

"I thought my last hour had come," she said.

"Suddenly, everything started blowing up. The walls started shaking, as did the windows and the doors. I was really scared."

Faid is also known for co-authoring a book in 2009 following his release on parole after a decade in prison for robbery.

The novel was about his delinquent youth and rise as a criminal in Paris's impoverished crime-ridden suburbs.

The jail where Redoine Faid was an inmate

He said his life of crime was inspired by American films such as Scarface and Heat - in which Robert de Niro's character carries out an armoured car heist.

Despite vowing he had turned his back on crime, Faid was suspected in 2010 of being the mastermind behind an armed robbery in which a young policewoman was killed in a shoot-out.

He was returned to prison in 2011 for failing to comply with his parole conditions and was due to serve the remaining eight years of his original sentence. 

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