[Labyrinthos]

Here's another possibility: A guy in my office recalls a situation many years ago involving mulitiple murders in the same area over a several week period that appeared connected in MO, but random in the selection of the victims. The initial police profile pointed to a psycho-serial killer. In fact, when the killer was finally caught the evidence showed that the killer and one of the victims knew each other (the guy in my office thinks they were involved in a business deal gone sour), and he killed the other victims in random fashion to send the police on a wild goose chase.

[twyn1]

That was the MO in an Agatha Christie book, 5 random killings to hide the "planned" murder in the middle

[Lion's Cub]

Americans don't kill children to cover up for a murder of an associate. That's not part of the American psyche.

Terrorists DO kill children if they think they're avenging children who have been victims of war.