Posted on 01/31/2007 12:04:30 PM PST by Howlin
BOSTON -- Four "hoax devices" were found at several Boston locations Wednesday, hours after officials detonated a suspicious package on an elevated structure above the Sullivan Square Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority station.
The additional packages were found at the Boston University Bridge, the Longfellow Bridge and near the intersection of Stuart and Columbus streets. A device described by officials as a pipe bomb was found in the basement of the Tufts New England Medical Center at 185 Harrison Ave.
A spokesman for the Boston Police Department said that all of the packages appeared to be similar.
"Our device was not an active device. We are still treating the area as a crime scene. There were no injuries. Everyone was evacuated properly, and everyone now back to their locations," Tufts New England Medical Center's Brooke Hynes said.
Mayor Tom Menino said that all of the packages found posed no danger, but the incidents remained under investigation. Storrow Drive eastbound was shut down for a brief time, and the MBTA suspended service on the Red Line and planned to bus afternoon commuters between Kendall and Park Street stations.
Earlier Wednesday, the state police bomb squad was called and detonated the package in Sullivan Square just before 10 a.m. Officials said it contained an electronic circuit board with some components that were "consistent with an improvised explosive device," but they said it had no explosives. They determined that the device was not dangerous, but destroyed it as a precaution.
"We determined that this device, in particular, was not explosive," said MBTA Lt. Sal Venturelli.
He said MBTA police were told about the package by a transit passenger who spotted it on a column that supports Interstate 93. The parcel was located on an elevated structure above the bus way and below I-93 in the Charlestown section of Boston at about 8 a.m.
"This is a perfect example of our passengers taking part in Homeland Security," Venturelli said.
An investigation will be conducted into how the package got there and when, he said.
Train service on the Orange Line between Sullivan Square and Wellington stations was suspended in both directions. No injuries were reported.
The northbound side of I-93 was closed, causing significant traffic backups. Motorists were not allowed to access the highway near Sullivan Square coming up from the south.
" The "suspicious packages" were light up cartoon characters. "
Don't care if they were anatomically correct Barbie Dolls that Cry Real Tears -- False reports of 'suspicious packages' - especially in post 9/11 times - is, and should be, a crime.....
Let's see, I want to publicize my store, so I plant my store logo in fake bombs??
Whose idea was this?
As most of us know, Shep does have a bit of trouble reading the teleprompter.
Per Drudge...
Nine 'Hoax Devices' Found At Several Boston Locations...
Circuit board lights lit up like a smiley face and a middle finger....
Turner Broadcasting ad campaign for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim animated television program goes awry; NYC-based guerilla marketing company 'Interference' behind debacle...
"False reports of 'suspicious packages" - especially in post 9/11 times - is, and should be, a crime.....
That I didn't hear, is it being said that the people behind this called it in and reported it?
Actually it's unclear at all if any of these devices were even INTENDED to look like bombs at all.
What I find surprising is that this while this isn't American Idol, ATHF is a fairly popular show that's been around for a long time and at least one person involved in the response would have noticed and recognized the Mooninite stuff earlier.
"I remember Bert of the Muppets being associated with Al Quaeda."
From a joke website long before 9-11.
I was referring to stunts pulled by the MIT nerds (putting the triforce symbol on top of the dome of one of their buildings), not today's Boston thing.
One of these days something like this will be real. Perhaps you might want to consider that possibility.
Some corporate heads should roll on this.
Judge Napolitano laughing about it is not helping...
Did the Turner people also make the calls reporting the suspicious packages?
..ULTRA LIB TED TURNER people fuss
up
" That I didn't hear, is it being said that the people behind this called it in and reported it? "
It's the reasonable conclusion from "five *simultaneous* reports being phoned in"....
we are being probed
" not recognizing the cute little cartoon characters."
I respectfully disagree. Circuit cards, batteries, placed at bridges here and there. (OK, to take advantage of darkness). Multiple phone calls.
But soldiers in WWII painted funny stuff on 250 lb bombs, too. That did not lessen the lethality.
Once the call "suspicious package" and "circuit card, batteries" goes out, the professionals who take stuff seriously start to roll, and they have a procedure to follow, and they followed it as far as I can see.
I bet the bomb squads may feel stupid, but the media played this up like this was 1/31, perhaps to divert attention away from W's speech on the economy.
You're right. But at the very least, this could serve as a drill to test Boston's counter-terrorism defenses.
As you can see, I am already being mocked for taking it seriously. I a not cool enough, apparently.
yep....Fox yukking it up. Several calls to 9-11 about suspicious packages...hilarious, to some. I give up.
we are being probed
This one is a Lite Brite version of Ignignokt.
There's probably one for his sidekick Err.
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