{"id":1935,"date":"2013-04-16T14:08:48","date_gmt":"2013-04-16T18:08:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/cityofbrass\/?p=1935"},"modified":"2013-04-17T08:26:43","modified_gmt":"2013-04-17T12:26:43","slug":"the-boston-marathon-bombing-and-the-saudi-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/cityofbrass\/2013\/04\/the-boston-marathon-bombing-and-the-saudi-national.html","title":{"rendered":"The Boston marathon bombing and the Saudi national"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATE<\/strong>: the Saudi national has been cleared of all charges by police<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For the American public, the horrific images out of Boston yesterday<\/a> were far more explicit than images from warzones and conflicts around the world. This attack was not the deadliest ion American soil, but equal in malicious, evil intention: to strike at the innocent public and cause terror and fear. <\/p>\n

And this is the insidious nature of terrorism, for fear leads to anger and anger leads to hate<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The natural questions from a tragedy like this are simple: who, and why? Why is probably easier to answer – hate. Only hate can move someone to act in cold blood, to murder innocents (including an 8-year old child). But the question of Who takes time and investigations and evidence – something that requires patience and wisdom, not anger and hate. Unfortunately, the former qualities are in short supply and there is a surplus of the latter, especially among the general public. <\/p>\n

Case in point – there are numerous reports that a Saudi national was taken into custody immediately after the bombing:<\/p>\n

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JUST IN: @JohnMillerCBS reports that individual is in custody after Boston blast, a Saudi national. Reported cooperative\/denies involvement.<\/p>\n

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 15, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n