“The Telegraph reported Peter Neumann, professor of security studies at King’s College, London, as saying: “Some groups used a particular kind of attack. With the IRA it was car bombs. With al-Qa’ida it has almost become a cliché but multiple explosions in the same place are regarded as hallmarks of Islamist terror.”
Although the Boston devices are generally smaller than those used by Islamic extremists, the reported use of ball-bearings in backpacks filled with explosives has fuelled speculation that al-Qa’ida operatives may have been involved. Such devices have often been used by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As well as Patriot’s Day, yesterday also marked the 65th anniversary of Israeli independence, leading commentators, including the Boston Globe’s Lawrence Harmon, to speculate on links to Islamic extremism.