Breaking: 'Hoax Devices' Found At Several Boston Locations (Several 'Suspicous Packages' Found)

Boston.com ^ | January 31, 2007

[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.

[theanonymouslurker]

IF you wanted to be exact do you really think it wise to call attention to a spot you are going to attack? If you move over a mile then your info is useless.

Most of the plans made by terrorists depend highly upon timing, the synchronization of movement, communication between conspirators, etc. Don't center in on a particular locale only. Does our military run drills only in an area in which they know a battle will take place? Of course not. Like I said, practice makes perfect.

[DBrow]

If you see a soda can, look out! Soda cans have been used as IEDs in Iraq and in Afghanistan, and American casualties have resulted from their detonation. There is a wire on this one because it's command detonated, but a soda can IED could have a timer or radio trigger, or be set to explode when moved or kicked.

If you observe an unattended soda can in an area where people pass by or congregate, or in a food court, contact authorities immediately. Do not attempt to move or defuse the device yourself. Calmly advise everyone in the area to leave quietly until the bomb squad has cleared the device.

If you see a suspicious person with a soda can, or see someone buying an unusual quantity of soda, or placing a soda can in an unusual place then walking away, call the police. It may be nothing, but it's worth a few moments of questioning to be sure.

A soda can without an explosive or timer may be a hoax device intended to frighten you, so do not panic when you see a soda can. But it may not be a hoax- act responsibly! Make that call- make your city a safe city!

[acapesket]

Okay, you win Jotmo! I bow down to your tragic hipness. not.
I don't have a "side", but I don't like being lectured to by people who have no concept of what consequences are.

[Eastbound]

"Future Weapons" aired (Sat TV) a special on a water bomb that was able to disarm a trunkload of EID's with a directional charge generated by a flat-like explosive devise placed inside a small suitcase-sized container.

Who knows what direction bomb technology will go? The Unabomber comes to mind.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Like I said, too much TV.

[Bogey78O]

This is the equivilancy of pointng a cardboard tube in broad daylight at someone.

The guerilla marketers did this without a hitch in over a dozen cities. These things look nothing like bombs.

How many bomb scares do you call in when you see somone drop a can of coke on the sidewalk?

[theanonymouslurker]

Like I said, too much TV.

Considering I only watch about an hour of tv a week, your comment is spurious at best. But, I'm sure if someone informed you of the events of 9/11 prior to the catastrophe actually taking place, you would have "ROTFL" and chalked that up to "too much tv" as well.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I made a mistake with you, which seldom happens. I have read several of your posts, many to people who like me who have some background in this problem. You are entrenched in a position of which you have no knowledge and are unmovable by fact nor logic. Carry on.

[theanonymouslurker]

and are unmovable by fact nor logic.

Sorry, but you've presented neither, unless you consider your "too much TV" canard somehow factual or logical.

[mass55th]

"How many bomb scares do you call in when you see somone drop a can of coke on the sidewalk?"

You're assuming that these were labeled bombs by the people who called into the authorities. Have you heard the recordings of these calls? Was it one call? Or were there multiple calls describing strange objects at various locations across the city? Were you there? Did you observe these items hanging from under the bridges? In the subway stations? At the hospital? Maybe they don't look like bombs after they've been taken down and photographed by the press, but did you see them in situ? What expertise or knowledge do you possess to assume what these look like to other folks or what was said in the phone calls?

[Jotmo]

But you do, apparently, enjoy calling those who disagree with you names. Just so we're clear on that.

[wiltale]

Ok, so did anyone here see the "press conference." I was feeling sorry for the guys arrested until I saw it.

[kaotic133]

How many liberal cities does it take to freak out over a cartoon character?

Obviously, cartoons are dangerous. We should regulate them, tax them, and then sue them.

Oh, this is standard liberal anti-capitalism. No story here (except to see who is really paranoid post-911). Move along. Big brother can't help you here.

[Jrabbit]

Pathetic. Hope the judge sees this. All just a big joke.....

[X-FID]

Nice, way too many knee-jerks around here.

[kaotic133]

I would also like to say shame on you to all the so-called conservatives out there who are backing the insanity of Boston's police and government and the upcoming lawsuits. The liberal MA crowd has proven its scared of its own shadow, but that there's no one to sue for that so this cartoon will do.

[DBrow]

Thanks- sometimes it takes sarcasm to make a point.

[kaotic133]

If everything with bright lights, an electrical power source, and wiring was a "fake bomb" then..

HOLY CRAP, whats that strange box connected to your computer monitor? It must be a bomb! Run! Shut down the city!

[kaotic133]

I think you need an underground bunker in a midwest multi-acre compound. You can be safe there. Please disconnect your internet before locking yourself in the basement. We don't want/need your insane opinions.

[MadHatChemist]

Cobalt-60 is an isotope of cobalt that is radioactive. The ground state has a half life of 5.271 years and produces powerful gamma and beta radiation.

Cesium-137 has a half life of 30.07 years and also produced beta and gamma radiation.