With all the horrible things going on in our country, seems like we should be hiring FBI instead of firing them.
Who wants to go to work everyday, knowing that your boss is going to belittle you publicly and question your integrity? These are the people that save us from disaster ALL THE TIME. That we never hear about the plots they've spoiled.
The Fed's that keep the president and his family safe don't need to be attacked by the "boss".
3
Odd that the article refers to a "serial bomber" and has not invoked the word terrorist. It seems
4
i am not hoping to further de-humanize a situation that is already inherently rather inhuman; so i propose this THOUGHT EXPERIMENT:
take th uber-impersonal perspective--of e.g., th Amazon bosses. & look at th serial anonymized exploits of him/her/they who this month have been setting explosives in boxes: it's a really serious threat to Amazon business interests [which are sang froid entirely--they're in Dollars & Cents.
Amazon is highly invested in the Delivery Service(s).
Its swoosh curved arrow is on every other front porch i visit, at the doorstep.
& i understand Amazon'z developing a service of Deliveries via REALLY anonymous machines--called drones [u may have heard of--or hear-- them
or have even SEEN some].
The service is intended for trimming down Bottom Lines! ]
Now: hypothetically, th agent(s) practising a type of guerrilla terrorism for which Austin anxiously is hunting a raison d'etre, might be exhibiting a folie--a pathology--simply of
being anti-Amazon, and anti--
any & everything of th sort.
case of too much impersonali progress, clogging stuff up.
i listened this morning's to KUT's NPR radio talking up th story. I heard an x-FBI fellow recalling th UniBomber, & how he did HIS works, &
an Epiphany came to me--
psst, it's Spring by th church calendar-- &
i remembered that th UniBomr's perspective, which was utterly opposed to a world that might have An Amazon in it, was a Luddite view.
probably that's how i learnt the word, luddite.
I sure hope this stops soon. The poor people of Austin. I wonder how one decides to be "a bomber'?
How can we trust the FBI to solve this crime when our own President says the agency is corrupt?
Thank you to all law enforcement members who are currently doing everything in their power to find and stop this person. (Local, State, Federal - FBI, ATF, Homeland Security) The citizens of the USA appreciate all you are doing!
6
So since the bomb at the FedEx building didn't explode ..don't all packages have tracking numbers..and at the strip mall were there cameras..there is everywhere else... sounds a little fishy to me...
2
It's unfortunate these serial bombings have not gotten more attention nationwide. As interesting and important all of the Trump chaos is, can we bring some attention to this case too? People here are on edge. The worst part is that there is no rhyme or reason with these bombings. Although appearing to initially target people of color, now people of different races, incomes, and areas of this city have been affected. We have seen not only mail bombs, but also a bomb with trip wires on a sidewalk. It seems to escalate each day and there is no indication this is stopping any time soon. Leadership, from the Governor to the White House, is absent in the midst of terrorism taking place in our own country.
7
I think the real clue(s) will come from surveillance videos of the person(s) involved. FBI must have seen through hundred of hours of these video tapes; difficult job!
"His"?
Of course, there are no important assumptions at play here.
Why do people like this bomber want to get caught? That is what the police are banking on. Asking him or her to make contact with the police. This issue is not merely making bombs anymore...its murder. So if you were in this person's shoes would you contact the police after your bombs have literally killed two people. Of course law enforcement think first and foremost this bomber is on an ego trip...or is deranged enough to accept an invitation to be recognized as someone with a media glitz. Not all criminals fall for those traps. The old cliche is " run silent, run deep ". Stay off the air ways and out of sight. Use strategy and pick your targets without any possibility of being seen or traced to your destructive mode syndrome. Its my observation, that if the FBI and Local and State authorities really had any hard and fast evidence. They would not be pleading with this person to make contact. They would be going secretly after them.
If someone knows the bomber please contact the police these things usually end in a murder suicide the murdered persons don't get a vote and anyone around will be collateral damage.
2
Precious time was lost when authorities failed to investigate the first bombing because they assumed the dead black victim either bombed himself or was the victim of a drug deal gone bad. Five bombings later and nearly 3 weeks after the first bombing, the authorities are still bumbling about. They won’t even call this an act of terrorism. But they have no problem profiling citizens, harassing peaceful BLM protesters, or beating jaywalkers.
10
No on knows who is behind this carnage, much less their motives. Therefore it behooves all of us to be circumspect in our judgements
And those who chose to blame Muslims or right_wing extremists might well have a vested interest in fomenting division in our country,
Folks, we need to recognize that Facebook is not the only social media platform being co-opted by foreign adversaries.
3
I am beginning this the Unabomber stuff all over again. You all remember how he did it this guy is following in the same foot steps all over again.
1
This is incredibly scary and I truly hope the police have more leads than the media is letting on- another unabomber at a time like now seems too much to handle. Also, why is this not a front page story, rather than a piece buried behind more porn star-Trump drama and an overview of San Juan?
3
Just watch. The bomber will turn out to be a right-winger who hates Austin because it is "liberal."
8
No. A left winger trying to raise a false flag.
If this is one person I don't think he/she is employed. Who would have the time? Maybe someone recently fired from the postal service? law enforcement? someone with a background in explosives--the military? or a militia-type?
3
I believe that with every discussion and opined, it will only help the aggressor or aggressors. And it will be on that note, that I will sign off on this subject.
6
Austin's had its share of terrorists. Remember the guy who flew his plane into the IRS Building because they denied his plane a free ride to heaven? No deductions for this fake preacher. So he just flew it into them Bin Laden style. What an incredible iceflow. Evangelical to the heretical.
Don't even try to guess what's behind this hot mess until we get the details.
7
Let's not forget the killer behind the first mass shooting in America: Charles Whitman, the "Texas Tower Sniper" who climbed to the 28th-floor observation deck of the University of Texas's main building and started shooting at anyone and everyone in his scope. He killed 17 people and injured dozens more in the 90+ minutes it took for the Austin police to make it up to the top of the tower. (In those innocent days such horrors were still unthinkable, so there were no security protocols whatsoever in place.)
No, it wasn't the first *multiple* shooting in America, but at the time it was by far the largest in terms of the number of deaths and injuries. It's also the all but certain reason mass shootings increased fourfold over the next 20 years, and have of course been growing ever since.
8
How is it decided when attacks are from a "serial bomber" as opposed to a "terrorist" ? When is a mass shooting perpetrator a "savage killer" as opposed to "an alienated youth with a fascination with firearms" ? What is the difference between an "alleged rapist" and a wealthy business figures with "allegations of wrongdoing" ? What is the message behind the choices in language used by the media depending on the case, ethnicity and social class of a suspect ?
21
Real simple:
If the FBI and/or local enforcement think it's a white person (more likely a man than a woman), it's not terrorism because in their minds there are no such thing as white terrorists only Muslim ones.
There you go.
28
Neither the FBI nor Austin police have speculated about the race of the bomb maker or bomb makers.
3
Terrorism : The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
This is according to Oxford Dictionary. So, maybe the reason why this has not been declared a terrorist incident is because there is no indication yet that this was "in pursuit of political aims."
The Unabomber was a white man and he is considered a terrorist as he had ideological and political motives.
4
Reading through the stories from the day and the comments sections, two things stand out to me. The first is the persistent background noise of violence. The other: the flippant, and, occasionally, downright cruel, remarks about events where lives have been lost. (I expect better from NYT readers.) I don't think the two are unrelated.
21
Unfortunately, a lot of these comments are sarcastic and conflating bombs with the gun control issue. Look, I'm a big gun control advocate and I get the irony of this regarding bombs versus guns but people should hold off on the jokes until whoever is doing this is caught. They're killing people, and that's not funny.
18
Have you thought about how effective the government is at preventing or solving crimes it creates by entrapping or setting up the perpetrators, yet for some reason has great difficulty solving real crimes by real people who act on their own?
Might the truth be that government, no matter how dedicated the police, cannot protect you, cannot prevent real crime?
Might the truth be that the entire criminal justice system is a sham?
2
NYT, I appreciate the article, and I know that all the interest and anxiety is putting pressure on the authorities, who must reassure the public that they know what they're doing and are thoroughly investigating, but is it really necessary to provide the bomber with a crash course in what mistakes to avoid to evade capture?
16
From a Bostonian to Austin: I pray this bomber or bombers are caught and that each and every one of you stays safe and well.
19
Microchip every citizen.
1
Ban guns first, then you can ban bombs.
7
>“They think they have autonomy, but they don’t.”
I suspect he meant to say "They think they have anonymity, but don't"... or was misquoted.
14
These attacks may be connected to the South by Southwest music + festival which has recently ended.
Time will tell.
1
Or they could be connected to Rodeo Austin, which just ended. Or they could be connected to Virginia's stunning defeat in the NCAA finals. Each theory is equally speculative and lacking in supporting evidence of any sort.
40
Maybe it's someone who was unable to get through a background check to purchase a gun.
27
I thought that Trump, in his inaugural address, declared that "American Carnage" is finally over. Seems to be going the other way!
22
We don't know if this is terrorism until we know the purpose.
If the killer is doing it to attack a group, or attempt to get political change by generating terror - then it's terrorism. (Whether the perp is white, black, or green).
If the killer is doing it because the angels told him to - then it's murder, with a possible insanity defense.
If the killer is doing it because it makes him feel good, then it's plain old murder.
It's not terrorism until there is a terroristic motive.
9
"It's not terrorism until there is a terroristic motive."
The bomber is not only *entirely* aware of the terror he's instilling throughout the Austin area; he's altering his methods to ensure his terror spree can continue.
It's domestic terrorism. Period. And it doesn't have to have anything to do with seeking political change for it to be terrorism, either. The bomber is terrorizing people in the most literal sense of the word.
5
@Details, you define terrorism too narrowly. When a person randomly blows up bombs that can hurt people, he/she is terrorizing fellow citizens. It doesn't matter why they're doing it.
1
Mmm, pretty sure is a community is being terrorized, it's terrorism.
I literally feel sick to my stomach right now. This annus horribilis has been a constant, grinding, low-to-higher-level run of negativity and anxiety.
73
...and Cyberwar1 is now getting into full-swing
I am wondering why the bomber is targeting Austin. I mean, if s/he lives there, it would make sense because that facilitates dropping off the bombs. But mailing them from Austin back to Austin?
5
And if he/she mailed it don't it have a tracking number..
Detonate the second package harmlessly? Wouldn't it make more sense to put it behind a steel shield, use robot arms to carefully disassemble it in order to learn about the bomber's techniques and who know what all else? Blowing it up is like destroying evidence!
8
So it isn't terrorism, yet I am terrified? Driving around Austin today, I was wondering where the next bomb will explode.
The news really has so little to report about it they are making the situation worse. NPR (not FOX I have zero idea what they are reporting) had on an "expert" talking about the next level that the bomber could be preparing for, like exploding a bomb in one area so the police rush in only to have another bomb planned to take them out! The news is whipping it into a ratings frenzy.
Next will come the copycat bombings. It is easy to create bombs using ingredients sold at Walmart or even fireworks. With all of the CCTV and security cams, I bet they will find this person(s) soon.
14
Terrorism is hard to define, but it usually involves attacking civilians in order to inspire terror to get some sort of political agenda through. It's the last part that is undetermined, and what separates murder from terrorism.
8
Handguns, assault rifles, bombs. RPG's next? It would be the natural progression of things. But controls? oh no, that limits our fundamental rights. I guess buying buried is also a fundamental right.
14
We need to ban bombs and RPGs now! No thoughts and prayers, this demands action.
2
The person isn’t buying bombs. They are making them. Regulation of firearms or explosive is beside the point when someone can make a bomb out of household materials.
Let’s just take a moment to remember that when Mr. Trump finally mentions this terrorism with a confident “We’ll get ‘em” that that “we” refers to the brave, expert and relentless federal law enforcement agencies he constantly disparages. The men and women of the FBI and ATF will indeed stop this madman. These are institutions most Americans esteem and value.
68
Trump and the White House have explained many time that their criticism of the FBI is directed at senior officials, not rank and file FBI agents.
2
Here’s a fun game - spot the spook at Fry’s Electronics in every Texas city right now...
5
Bombs don't kill people; people kill people.
Bombs are just another kind of munition that should have 2nd amendment protection. How is a bomb really any different from an assault rifle?
Just increase funding for "mental health" and get over it. We have a right to bear "arms," and I'm saying package bombs are just another armament. What is your problem?
19
My problem is that no one has ever made that argument, so your attempt at a straw-man argument fails. There is no constitutional protection for bombs or elements of bombs, and they have no legitimate purpose.
2
Nukes, too. Nukes don't kill people, people kill people. And of the founders really believed the populace should all be armed to defend themselves against the government, then there's a solid 2nd Amendment case for the right thing of citizens to have nuclear weapons.
Okay, maybe not till they're 21.
3
Could you please provide your name and address for the authorities?
It never ceases to amaze me how often the folks who call for scrutinizing people's mental health sound like they should be patient 0.
I think they've traced it back to a FedEx store in SW Austin. The Austin paper is @ statesman.com
4
I speak for many in my wonderful city when I say it's a good thing the FBI is here trying to assist in solving these crimes and catching the person/s responsible for the murders and injuries of the innocents. I believe the majority of Americans are grateful and thankful for the FBI regardless of what Donald Trump says.
101
If I were a FedEx pilot, I would be very much on edge at this point.
17
Gee, good thing Antifa and BLM are terrorist org. and not the Klan, Nazi's and or Alt-right 3% militia's. Heck, even Oath keepers have descended into home grown Rightwing terrorists.
Fine people on both sides, right Mr. Trump?!!!
17
Five bombings in a week, sophisticated explosive devices, two dead in two separate incidents, several injuries, and a Fedex facility hit, and possible hate crimes or terrorism, and this story is buried far down on the NYT home page?
This low priority does not make sense, at all.
47
How was it that Boston was shut down after the marathon bombing and little to nothing has happened after 4 bombings in Austin. Why has the federal response been so tepid?
16
The powers that be that govern Austin dont want any negative publicity for Austin because the big music fest SXSW was last week. Thats what they care about, losing business not lives
6
The murderers were identified and located, and the city was shut down to stop them from getting out. That's not to say these bombings are insignificant - or that these deaths are not grievous. But it was just different. DIfferent situations, different tactics. Right now, the bomber could be anywhere, so shutting down Austin doesn't make sense.
18
Oh please: this has nothing to do with SXSW. The Boston attack consisted of multiple bombs timed to detonate simultaneously in the same vicinity, an area where thousands of people were certain to be standing to watch the Boston Marathon. Further, the perps were ID'd relatively quickly, which is the reason the city was on lockdown.
In contrast, all of the Austin attacks have occurred randomly, with no rhyme, reason or known commonality. Shutting down the city to hunt for a perpetrator who's essentially a ghost at this point would serve no purpose whatsoever.
6
In other news, President Trump said that if he had been in San Antonio and seen a box on a FedEx conveyor belt, he would have rushed in and grabbed it.
128
We should not have to live like this. Time to get off this rock, Captain Kirk where are you.
4
We need to nuke the entire city. It's the only way to be sure to get him.
Right, NRA?????
14
The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a bomb is a good guy with a bigger bomb that just happens to kill every @#$% person in the area. Only way to be sure.
38
It's probably the NRA that is sending the bombs. Statement soon to be released will promote arming all employees of the USPS and commercial shipping companies. Their work is so tough when they don't have a bogeyman in the White House.
9
You got it, Bill.
1
The bomber could be anyone, mad about anything. The police really have no idea what he's like, other than he has enough skills to make simple bombs.
Therefore, they should concentrate on fingerprints, DNA, and surveillance-camera videos, rather than wasting time speculating. Hard physical evidence can lead them to the bomber, and then they can ask him what's bugging him.
11
The police and ATF and FBI are obviously doing everything possible and more. I'm not a fan of police but when they act professionally it's a shame that our president can do nothing but undermine them. I'm quite impressed with their thoroughess on this.
22
Could be:
A racist angry that Austin is a sanctuary city
A FedEx worker who was fired and earlier packages were just practice
An NRA see?-deaths-happen-without-guns-too lunatic
8
Or, God forbid, one of 'our troops' bringing one of our many wars home . . .
Karnak here.....
The bomber will be:
1) White male American citizen , middle class
2) in his late 20's/early 30's
3) be living at home with mom, in the basement or the childhood bedroom
4) have at LEAST 5 cats or 5 pitbulls
5) Have at LEAST 5 guns, 3 of which will be assault weapons.
6) have a "crazy" haircut
When captured, the MOST IMPORTANT question will be, asked with bated breath: "What PARTY is he associated with?"
UNLESS he is Hispanic, black or ***gasp***Muslim.
Then, it will be Obama or Hillary's fault.
81
More likely he's tortured a neighbor's cat than has any of his own.
2
Best reply take my upvote
We can choose not to think that way.
Given his views on the FBI and Law Enforcement, I wonder if Trump fully supports their efforts to take down this bomber. Or maybe he’s happy the spotlight is off of him for the time being.
11
As this latest episode of terrorism unfolds, we see why we need the FBI and the rest of our national security services. Yet, President Trump slams the key leaders of the FBI. We know why. Even the likes of Trey Gowdy, the Benghazi fake news guru has come out against how Trump is acting and saying.
Why is the leadership of the GOP silent?
38
They're waiting to be voted out.
14
I noticed people are already comparing these bombings to Ted Kaczynski (The Unabomber),
What he did from 1978-1995 (when he was caught), although that was spread over a much longer period of time, (almost 2 decades).
Kaczynski was very well educated and a highly intelligent (albeit warped) person. He who strongly believed in his ideals; namely, that technology was ruining society (albeit) not original.
I certainly hope this person (or people) are caught soon. The Unabomber killed 3 people and injured several more; quite seriously. His first bomb was on an airline flight and misfired. Authorities said it would have brought the plane down if not for the malfunction.
This is very scary stuff.
19
THE FBI BEHAVIORAL PROFILING UNITS Must be actively involved in this series of bombings. There are enough clues emerging that the experts will be able to profile the perpetrator. This much can be determined by the details included in articles and on the media. The bomber is highly organized, calculating the building and delivery of the bomb in great detail. Switching the type of bomb seems intended to appear as the work of another person. When experts map the locations of the bombings and places from which the packages were sent, they may be able to determine an area in which the bomber is active and other details about the person's location and habits. A review of surveillance cameras in FedEx locations may result in pictures of the suspect or suspects. The experts have moved from reacting to bombings to screening for packages before they are delivered. Hopefully they will be able to identify the party or parties who have perpetrated the bombings.
5
My concern is whether this is due to the same person who (presumably) was responsible;le for the first three bombs, or whether this is a "copycat" episode.
12
I hope that if this proves to be linked to extremist groups from the Middle East, that information is not used to justify anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim propaganda and actions. If it is domestic, it should be treated with even more seriousness - because threats from within outweigh threats from without, and are harder to identify.
10
I do think that if it's linked to extremist groups from the Middle East, it will reflect poorly on the Middle East and on extremist groups, particularly those claiming to act on behalf of God. The mind does look for patterns, even if relatively few from some big countries and some big faiths fit into them. I'm with you, though, on taking a domestic terrorist much more seriously. And if it turns out to be an active racist, as there's some thought African-Americans are being targeted, hopefully this will indeed reflect poorly on all racists.
2
Speculation is only that. Let the facts be clarified before jumping to any concluson
1
Writing this from nearby this situation and observing the map of the bombings.
If you notice the straight line for the first 3 bombs and turning west in a straight line for the 4th on Sunday night.
All residential neighborhoods with no surveillance.
The locations looks like a driver's/ delivery route.
Now the Fedex mail drop on Brodie Lane - where the packages were mailed and routed to San Antonio/Schertz Fedex Center. Just minutes away from the 4th bombing.
Maybe the authorities should be looking at FedEx delivery drivers .
18
Poor Fed Ex drivers !
2
Two people dead and a city is terrified (and I don't blame them and also don't think even one dead is somehow trifling but...) But 94 other people killed the same day by guns, not one of them an assault rifle. But that's why they call it news. Now that's terrifying.
15
This article should not be buried so far down the page. Allegedly right-wing American terrorists deserve the same coverage as this would get if the perpetrators were suspected to be Islamists.
176
On my NYTimes app it's the 2nd story on the page!
It could be them pushing specific content to their readers (I lived in Austin for years). Or it could be getting better placement due to click-on & responses.
Who knows.....
I guess we won't know whether or not to call this "Terrorism" until we learn if it was done by a white male (mental health problem) or a Muslim (definitely Terrorism).
439
Love it, Jay !
25
Like it or not, there's some truth to that.
6
excellent point
3
No mention that African Americans and minorities appear to be the targets. Shame on you NYT.
104
That was speculated initially, but then the bombs and targets changed, so there doesn't seem to be a specific targeted group.
9
At first they did make much of the minority target factor, but I'm guessing they aren't mentioning it at this point because yesterday's bomb appeared to have random targets -- an explosion set off by a tripwire that could be detonated by anyone who walked by.
9
The bomb triggered by tripwire was not believed to be targeted to anyone in particular.
5
I'm guessing someone who learned about explosives in the military did this. Are the local police getting help from the Department of Defense? Ties to right-wing extremist groups would be another guess.
30
Trump, this is what our FBI and ATF do. They protect our country and even you!!!
119
The White House has frequently pointed out that its criticism of the FBI applies only to a small group of senior executives, not to rank file FBI agents.
5
Is there any video evidence or other tracking evidence (cell phone geotagging ID info, etc.) in or around these sites? I hope the authorities can put any and all evidence together to find the terrorist before s/he strikes again.
13
I was thinking the same thing. My iPhone figured out that I go to the Y every Saturday. If there's that much data on all of us, let's hope this can be used to apprehend a truly dangerous person or group, not just sell me running shoes or try to influence my vote.
3
I know, right? It's become a case of, "They can put a man on the moon but
."
1
We can start by deciding who is crazy and call 911. Too many calls because clearly 1/2 of the country thinks the other half is evil and crazy. We might call TED, the Unabom anarchist for investigation tips. Ted was crazy before 1/2 of the Nation sent more crazy by purchasing three hundred million gun and a trillion tons of bullets. Now, you get just ordinary guys without grudges shooting up stadiums full of innocent people for unfathomable reasons. Copycat kids thinking that returning to schools and killing classmates is somehow redemptive. Otherwise, it seems, 15 minutes of infamy seems better than life, family and pursuit of happiness.
17
The best way to defend against this attack would be to arm all citizens with their own bombs. Right now, only the criminals have bombs.
521
About a decade or so ago, the NRA quashed a legislative effort to put tracking additives into commercially available gunpowders. As Donnesbury put it, "It infringed on the rights of the American Sport Bomber". Let's see if we can revive that debate.
28
Exactly! I understand the NRA and Gun Owners of America are now advocating that every American have an ICBM missile silo in his back yard to keep rogue nations at bay.
4
So sadly true.
1
Bomber on the loose in Texas; ANOTHER school shooting in Maryland. Trump is silent on these. trump spews out hate for the FBI and is making secret arms deals with the Saudis. Trump called his partner Putin to congratulate him on his "election" win. WAKE UP AMERICA Trump/GOP is taking us right into the cesspool. VOTE OUT GOP AT MIDTERMS. Ray Sipe
256
Before you accuse Trump of spewing hate, you should probably read you own comments.
7
Hopefully this is not the beginning of the 'new normal' in the United States when random bombs are set off in points all across the land. Trump's election had the unique advantage of revealing the scores of disgruntled and violent young men teeming in the American Hateland. The bomber is surely one of those twisted misanthropes who must be stopped at all costs.
16
Trump’s election did this? Surely you are kidding. How about Pulse nightclub - Obama. How about Boston bombing - Obama. How about San Bernardino -Obama.
7
Hadn't the Pulse killer been photographed wearing a Trump hat few months before the shooting? Not sure how you blame that on Obama.
Thank God Al Qaeda and ISIS have been so incredibly incompetent at terrorism in America since 9/11. Why in the world hasn't one or both exploded several package bombs every day at various random places in America since 9/11? The bombs are so cheap and easy, requiring neither brains nor sophistication. Think of the hysteria they could have caused if we got them nonstop. We've been very lucky in our foreign terrorists. Now our own lunatics at home are stepping into the breach. These bombings are even easier than school shootings. What a society we have! Our sins have found us out.
13
Fred, you might consider the possibility that Al Qaeda and ISIS are not incompetent, but rather decided such bombings would be counterproductive in terms of their goals. Individual terrorists often act out of nihilistic rage. Terrorist organizations act rationally according to their lights.
And BTW don't assume the Austin terror bomber is home grown. At this point we simply don't know.
5
What we know is: 1) The bomber's target area so far is highly localized. 2) The victims appear randomly selected. 3) The bomber is experimenting with different bomb construction and delivery. 4) The bomber didn't learn how to do this stuff from nowhere. And 5) the bomber does not want to get caught.
I'm guessing some form of military background, foreign or domestic, along with maybe a technical degree of some sort as well. There's also the possibility the bomber is self-educated. The individual might just be really good at hiding their digital footprint. Maybe some combination of both. Again though, you have to learn how to hide your digital footprint.
I'm thinking the bomber doesn't have a specific agenda. I'm guessing here but that's still my best guess. They've learned how to make bombs and want to demonstrate their talent. Maybe there's some personal grievance or mental instability lending itself to the effort but I think this bomber is primarily an ideological orphan.
If I were the FBI, I would start with the most unique substance used in the bombs and start checking local vendors for transaction histories. If the bomber used cash, start interviewing employees. Build out from there. The method won't be fast or specific but there are only so many places the bomber can buy materials. Work the street while we're waiting.
13
Most importantly he is a loner all of which I'm sure the FBI knows write well. He (or she? not likely) is a longer who goes out late at night. Somebody has noticed a car starting or a door closing. They just have to realize and report it. But I think they've got him now with that unexploded package. Bomb squad or not it's very unlikely they're going to purposely explode that thing. First it goes into a non conductive liquid. I'd give him 48 hours
All the victims are minorities. Not so random.
THANKS! I'll bet the FBI and ATF never even thought of that.
2
FedEx could probably link that package to its' place of origin or not depending if it was small enough to fit in the box without a person taking the package. USPS now has scanners to track all packages which is probably why this terrorist has used FedEx and UPS. What we learned from the Sniper and Anthrax attacks in the DC area is the randomness of these attacks by persons who are not clearly mentally stable. This cuts into logical reasoning of finding the terrorist. Being preyed upon by these fanatics can take a toll on the community psychologically. The sooner the investigators leak out some more information pertaining to the sophistication of the devices the sooner the terrorist can be found. If a veteran, they know each other. If a terrorist they stand out within their local community. This needs to be closed quickly before the terrorist decides to escalate to bigger bombs. The Sniper in DC had a sidekick uncommon according to law enforcement because the more people know the easier to find the terrorist. Since the last package was from a city south of Austin, this terrorist may be more than one. The Unabomber was caught because of his writing. This terrorist also has made a mistake, the device or devices used. Someone knows them but getting law enforcement to divulge anything is difficult. In the DC Sniper case it was too late for many of his victims.
3
Contrast this with the President's ( republican's ) view that nuclear weapon proliferation is the best deterrence from everyone not bombing everyone else.
Hoping to catching this person and no more damage/loss of life.
10
Dear Funky Irishman,
This is the third time I've seen your posting the same thing.
I am still not sure what your point is; that is, I am not sure what contrast you are making between Trump/Republican nuclear deterrent policy and what??? the bomber in Austin?
2
Two people have already died in Austin from explosives. Guns are not the only weapons used to kill and terrorize people as these recent events in Texas have shown.
This is so frightening and I hope the law enforcement agencies catch the evil person who is causing fear and mayhem in Texas. The good people of Texas are in my thoughts and prayers. They certainly need them at this very sad time.
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Thank you so much for your very helpful thoughts and prayers for us here in Texas. It is a comfort knowing that with so many from around the country busy assaulting the gates of heaven with heartfelt petitions, surely one of them will reach the the ears of the Deity.
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Gary F.S.,
Thank you for your appreciation of my thoughts and prayers to the people of Texas. I do mean this sincerely as I am a person of faith and prayer is an important part of my life.
Texas holds a special place in my heart because I visited my relatives in Fort Worth a few times and I have some of the nicest memories of those visits. The Texan hospitality was wonderful and they were some of the warmest and caring people I have encountered. It is one of my favorite places in the US. You are Texas strong.
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So sad that all of these bombings are completely unavoidable! As we all know, the only way to stop a bad guy with a bomb is a good guy with a bomb.
#thoughtsandprayers
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Dylan - love your comment!! Should have been a NY Times pick. Well done!!!!
A couple of observations:
1) the first bombing occurred on March 2, Texas Independence day
2) the fourth bombing was on Republic of Texas Blvd.
Coincidence? Maybe, but I think the bomber could be a member or supporter of the Republic of Texas movement (see Wikipedia for info.), a separatist organization with a violent history.
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3) Three of four Austin bombs were left on the doorsteps of black citizens of Austin.
Coincidence? Maybe, but I think the bomber(s) were not unaware of this fact.
That’s actually a very good observation, and you should pass it on to the authorities .
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Good thinking. Could be right. Send this to the FBI.
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The tripwire episode = IED. Why are they not calling this domestic terrorism?
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Great question. Here's another; how come no one (particularly the reporters!) is even curious that 3 of the 4 Austin bombs were placed on the doorsteps of African-Americans.
African-Americans make up about 8% of that city so, taking 75% of the terrorism directly is neither insignificant nor coincidence.
ATF & FBI profilers seek a motive. Oddly, they invite the bomber to explain himself.
Here’s a reasonable hypothesis:
-Many victims have been people of concern of color
-Austin is the most progressive city in Texas
-Austin has become terrorized
Perhaps there are no meaningless coincidences. The bomber reveals racism and a political agenda. Fomenting terror, helplessness and paranoia is socially disruptive, maybe even radicalization toward the NRA...a good guy with a bomb??
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Some, but not all, of the victims were minorities. Bomber has now moved to "white" neighborhoods and left the package method behind, apparently. They are now concentrating on "surprise" random methods targeting people just walking around.
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I think it's worth noting that the FedEx package, assuming it's related to the other Austin bombings (which is extremely likely), is the first to be sent via carrier as opposed to being left on site by the bomber. This is frightening for a number of reasons, but topping the list is the fact that "serial killers" traditionally follow the same - or at least similar - MO each time. The Unabomber, for instance, explicitly targeted academics in cutting-edge fields of science.
Not only is the Austin bomber *not* doing any such thing; his targets have had no readily evident connection aside from living in the same metro area. Arguably much worse, he's now using standard-issue transport companies to deliver his lethal packages. Short of individually checking each of the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of deliveries sent to the Austin area -- which has a metro population of over two million people -- each day, there's little FedEx or UPS or the USPS can do to stop him.
The ONLY saving grace here is that the bomber apparently hasn't figured out how to send a package via delivery service without it exploding prior to drop-off. That said, it may only be a matter of time before he does.
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Contrast this with the President's ( republican's ) view that nuclear weapon proliferation is the best deterrence from everyone not bombing everyone else.
Hoping to catching this person and no more damage/loss of life.
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Addressed to Austin, where in Austin and to whom?
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What's particularly disturbing is that for all the efforts of the FBI and AFTE, the Unabomber wasn't caught until his brother recognized similarities in diction, syntax and organization between their personal correspondence and the "manifestos" published by (I believe) the New York Times and other outlets.
So far, the one thing this perpetrator has done is send anti-personnel devices to what would seem to be a random number of victims. There have been no statements or announcements. The request of the Austin authorities for contact of some kind between themselves and the person responsible sounds at once like an obliques and indirect request for some kind of 'signature' that they can examine and a sort of Hail Mary pass because otherwise they seem completely in the dark.
As are we all.
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This is a serial bomber who "delights" in new and innovative ways to deliver his little packages of death. More to come for sure.
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I think we need to strengthen bomb control laws...
We can’t have these bombs in these peoples hands.
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There are already restrictions on some of the components of bombs. Perhaps we've overlooked some that could be easily tracked.
You make an excellent point, Randy.
Funny. I guess under your logic we should allow people to have bombs?
For a serial bomber this individual is unusual in the frequency of his attacks and the variety of delivery methods. But that doesn't mean that he will escape detection. In fact, the more devices he produces, the more information about him (probably) or her, the FBI will gather. Likewise, the intensity of anger being shown may manifest in other behaviors that alarm family members or acquaintances, as was the case with the Unabomber some years ago. But two people are dead already and an arrest can't come too soon.
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I doubt this the work of ISIS or Al Qaeda. They are on the run and are almost bankrupt. These serial bombings are an inside job. Again it could be by their sleeper cells financed by who else - our biggest ally, Saudi Arabia!
Looks like the weapon of choice for killers is no longer the AR-15. It's time to institute a ban on package bombs.
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Living in Austin is unsettling. Worse still, I am traveling while my young kids and wife are home. I recognize these things are easily politicized, but finding a madman who clearly has no value for human life should find bipartisan agreement.
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Y’all are in our thoughts. Hope they catch /stop him soon.
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Contrast this with the President's ( republican's ) view that nuclear weapon proliferation is the best deterrence from everyone not bombing everyone else.
Hoping to catching this person and no more damage/loss of life.
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Odd that there hasn't been a task force set up by now.
I hope they are factoring into their profiling the possibility of a grudge against the city of Austin itself.
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They're buildin' all over the aquifer, you can't swim your dog in the Barton Creek spillway anymore, Whole Foods has gone corporate, Eeyore's Birthday Party and Spamarama aren't what they used to be, and they painted over the graffiti on the Lamar Avenue underpass. It's a disgruntled hippie environmentalist.
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Could be they don’t like academics or don’t want Amazon. Who knows. Hang in there.
The graffiti is still there.
The fourth bombing was very close to our home, and it's really terrifying. There is a feeling of helplessness here in Austin. I am waking up in the morning, slipping out the side door, and doing a very amateur perimeter scan of our home for any trip wires, packages, bags, etc.
They can't catch this person soon enough.
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Gah, that's awful.sorry you are going through this.
What happened in Austin? Why are person(s) unknown conducting a murderous terror campaign against the citizens of Austin? Are they just the pawns in a sick game of bomb 'messages' to the Austin authorities? Or against Texas state government with Austin as the capital?
Packages or trip wires, the citizens of Austin need to hunker down and be safe.
Hope all the officials working on this catch a lead to this/these monsters.
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Another bombing earlier today, yet another school shooting (This time in Maryland) and where is our president? The first package bomb exploded in Austin on March 2nd, today is now the 20th --- This is the fifth bomb to explode in the Austin area and not a peep from president trump. That man is so self absorbed between the Mueller investigation, Stormy Daniels and Fox and Friends that he's incapable of performing his duties as president. Exactly what would happen if something very serious occurred such as Russia invading Poland or a nuclear missile getting loose from North Korea? Does anyone here honestly think that trump would be capable of handling a situation such as this? I'm concerned, very, very concerned.
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Two weeks ago my kids had active shooter training in school. Yesterday they were briefed on suspicious bags, while security patrolled the school. It's been an anxious couple of weeks.
I do sleep well at night knowing that fellow Austinite Alex Jones is thinking up a new conspiracy theory to wrap around these events in order to sell more protein shake mix.
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Yeah, where are the charges of false flag operations, or claiming the victims are "actors"?
Since January 2017, the date when Trump entered WH, America has become more violent than ever before.
Trump promised law and order.
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When you base your entire campaign on Hate & Fear, this is what happens. All the fearful and hateful are stirred up and go crazy.
Thank you Donnie.
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Another normal day in Texas.
I'm sure Gregg "I hate the FBI" Abbott will get right on this.
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Can YOU say, can 45 say "domestic terrorism"?
What's it take?
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Lets face it, they would have to be brown or a very large number were killed. He really doesn't care.
A friend of mine in NYC called and texted me yesterday, worried about my safety. I was somewhat surprised, because she seemed to think the entire city was under some kind of attack. That is the problem with media seizing upon stories of violence and flogging them incessantly.
The city is not on lockdown, the vast majority of us are going about our business, the South by Southwest conference is finally over, and we are all out walking our dogs on the streets.
Any bomb maker who thinks he's got the whole city cowering in fear is either deluding himself or watching too much TV. Actually, he's probably doing both.
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As a newcomer to Austin, it's startling to find that the laid back Austin vibe is far more entrenched than I anticipated. They all seem to be totally unaffected and almost blase to some extent. If this was happening in CA or NY people would go banana's, possibly forgoing their breakfast taco's.
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Were the two reporters really so "objective" in reporting this story that they omitted the fact that 3 of the 4 IEDs were deliberately placed on the doorsteps of African-American families? How is that irrelevant...in TEXAS?
The so-called president hasn't even mentioned it....and the NYTs is telling a specious, sanitized slice of another modern American tragedy.
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And the others were NOT; sometimes a tragedy is a tragedy, no matter who it happens to.....
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AA families? No, one was Latino.
the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians is what's happening here and that is called terrorizing. "Get up, Stand up"
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Not to undermine the FBI at all, but Scotland Yard is truly expert at resolving identification of bombs. I lived in the UK in the 80's and can only recommend from that experience that we remove all public trash receptacles, and ask the public in signs and over the news to report (and do not touch) a package or item such as a bag or any kind that's been left, and everyone: look through your front door peephole before answering the front door. Also, release the bomb-sniffing dogs. They'll catch the dirty bandit.
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Good thing there isn't a "National Package Bomb Association" or we'd never get anywhere on this.
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This person is outflanking the FBI at every corner, unreal.
Maybe trump is right?
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I just ordered something from Amazon yesterday, now I’m not sure if I should open the box when it comes Friday. As a kid, having the postman delivering a package to the front door of the house used to be such a source of excitement. It just seems as if everything these days has been turned into dread. Too bad we can never go back to that house.
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By all means, open it.
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I understand how you feel, Mr. Doe, but the purpose of these bombings and shootings - and horrid tweets - is to try to scare us. WE must not succumb to fear-anger-hate mongering. WE must keep our heads and rid OUR government of the democracy-life-destroying Robber Barons behind it.
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I bet the robber barons are the ones sending these -puhlease.
I checked this morning and Austin is the ONLY city in Texas that acts as a sanctuary city. The esteemed Governor, Greg Abbot, is trying to get state legislation passed that would make it illegal for any Texas city to protect Dreamers and has threatened to cut off funding form Travis County, where Austin is located.
I have no question that the same democracy-destroying, American hating International Mafia Robber Barons are behind all these supposed "terrorist" attacks. Especially when I read this morning, in another publication, that The Con Don tweeted about it this morning. Said not to worry. That's when we have to start worrying. The Con Don and his Robber Baron brethren will stop at nothing to try to destroy America's social safety net and governments at every level.
WE THE PEOPLE are the only ones who can/will stop him and his war-mongering brethren from starting WW3 and destroying OUR lives.
NOW is the time.
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Houston is a very immigrant friendly, and larger city in Texas.
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Dear Njglea,
Actually Houston and Dallas are also sanctuary cities.
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"I checked this morning and Austin is the ONLY city in Texas that acts as a sanctuary city."
This is 100% false, which I say as the resident of a sanctuary city. ALL of Texas's larger cities fall into this category: Houston, Dallas, San Antonio AND Austin. Contrary to popular belief (outside of the state, at least), Austin is not the state's lone liberal bastion; the other three cities are solidly Democratic and have been so for upwards of 20 years.
Further, it's *entirely* reckless to be pushing any sort of conspiracy theory suggesting that the Austin bombings have anything to do with immigration politics. We have no idea yet what the perp's motive might be, which is one of the reasons why his actions are so terrifying.
Finally, if anything the minimal amount of evidence that is known suggests that immigration and/or animus towards Hispanics are not a factor, given that each victim targeted thus far has been either black or white.
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I would think that Fedex could easily determine what packages have dropped out of their system and won't be delivered, Obviously, the suspect package was in their system and now it is not. Am I missing something here?
I cannot imagine needing 350 FBI agents to determine where the package originated. Go FEDEX.
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Tracking packages would seem to be easy. This package would have been dropped off, entered into the system and then placed with outgoing packages. Easy, right?---of course with the assumption that the packages around it were not also completely destroyed...
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One of the bombs was placed on a for sale sign with a trip wire and did not go thru the mail system. I imagine they may need several agents because so many people use the mail. I know I mail stuff every day.
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It's unfortunate that our "leaders" are undercutting the FBI exactly when their expertise, together with ATF, is critically needed.
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Who is undercutting FBI agents? Are you talking about the corruption on the seventh floor?
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@john
No, the corruption in the White House.
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I imagine in these circumstances the FBI doesn't care what the President has to say about them, not what any of his adherents choose to believe.
I know I'll feel safer if all the assault rifle owners can shoot the packages with their 30 round clips and attached bump stocks.
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Perhaps the person who did these bombings has spent time in a war zone? Some military background or training? Or someone who is from the ME?
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The U.S. military doesn't train personnel in bomb making. Manufacturing improvised explosive devices is an insurgent specialty. The bomber could have learned his crafty in a terrorist training camp. However, the Internet provides all you need to know to manufacture homemade bombs.
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why would someone from the middle east target African Americans in Austin TX? seems more likely a white supremacist, we have a massive problem with homegrown white supremacist terrorists, from Dylan Storm roof, to Victor Cruz the texas church mass shooting,there are even terrorist training camps for white supremacists in Nevada.
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A recently joint F.B.I. and the Department of Homeland Security intelligence report said white supremacists were responsible for 49 homicides in 26 attacks from 2001 through 2016, more attacks than any other domestic movement. This works out to about three murders a year. The United States has about 12,000 murders a year, so white supremacists are responsible for about 0.02 percent of murders each year. Only 23 of the 49 victims were racial or ethnic minorities. Of the other 26 victims, 12 were Jewish and eight were law enforcement officers shot while attempting to arrest suspects for a variety of crimes who turned out to white supremacists. Four of the victims were white supremacists murdered by other white supremacist and two were white homosexuals.
Non-Hispanics whites make up only 42 percent of Austin population. So, it is not surprising that some of the victims are member of racial or ethnic minorities.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3924852-White-Supremacist-Extrem...
Crack Austin Police cleaning their weapons and discussing whether the bombings are "linked"...Good work boys...
The Final Four may well be "The Final Four"...
Where's Jeff Sessions when you need him?
Send Saul Berenson.
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What the heck are you even talking about?
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Just rambling because of his tooth pain...
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Every time I've sent a package via FedEx I've had to provide return address information. Surely they have this? And even if the sender gave fake info, they have the tracking data to see where it was sent from.
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Not to mention video footage inside the customer service area.
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They already know it was sent from Austin to an address in Austin.
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Yes, FedEx should be able to quickly figure out where the package was dropped off. No, this may not help a single bit. FedEx has thousands of unmanned, unmonitored drop-off boxes. Given that we already know the perpetrator has a fair amount of skill, it seems unlikely that he would've dropped off the package in any location where he could've either been seen or caught on camera.
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There is an important lesson for all of us here about keeping our eyes open and our ears on alert. People have seen and talked to whoever is doing these bombings. The bomber has relatives, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances who may have noticed or heard something, but have yet to say anything to authorities. We each have to be responsible for the safety of all of us. Now is not the time to be timid and self-questioning. Now is the time to speak up before more bombs go off and more innocent people are hurt or killed. Let's stop this cowardly killer bomber.
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Very good point. And of course the same principle applies to family members, relatives and friends who harm animals (predictor of harming humans), and post hostile or harmful messages on social media. Anonymously report these people to the authorities.
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OK Meg:
I suspect that the bomber is probably a Muslim,or a black person. Could be a disgruntled illegal immigrant. Could also be ,I hate to say,some crazy white dude who is creating his fame in his next YouTube upload. Hell Meg-it could be you,just trying to" hide in plain sight."
These bombing are personal tragedies and anxiety provoking for Austin residents. But I live over 1,000 miles from Texas and I'm not going to get scared and suspect everyone I know because of them, no matter how much the media pumps up the volume. I have plenty of concerns already, and am frankly much more afraid of a deadly car accident when I go to the grocery story than bombings happening far away.
3
What a cowardly act by an individual that likely thinks themselves quite the hero.
I hope our qualified law-enforcement officials find them and dissuade them of this notion by locking them up and throwing away the key.
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Why not just ask Donald Trump who did it? He knows more than the FBI and police.
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Surely he'll blame Hillary...
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He'd tell you it's a very, very bad hombre, I'm sure.
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The Left Coast has spoke once again with all the authority and logic that implies.
3
A wonderful thing for the NRA, surely. "See, bombs kill people! So guns are not a problem!"
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I think their position is: "the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a bomb is a good guy with a bomb. Plastique should be sold at your local 7-11."
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I’ve actually been wondering if that is the motive of this individual—perhaps an angry gun owner upset by the recent success of the Parkland students in mobilizing sentiment for gun regulation.
17
That thought had occurred to me. By the same logic though, guns aren't saving anyone either. Pure pro-gun ideological bombings don't really make sense in this context. I'm not ruling out the possibility but gun advocacy doesn't provide the most direct explanation. You have to make some mental jumps to get there. Same with foreign terrorism for that matter. Future terrorists might emulate this bomber's approach but what we're seeing so far doesn't really fit the profile.
May the F.B.I. and A.T.F. officers continue to be safe and work as diligently, swiftly and effectively in solving these crimes as this murdering coward has been in the making and placing of his/her explosive and deadly packages.
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Bombs like these don’t kill as many people as an assault rifle might, but the anxiety and disorder produced by a bombing campaign is more disruptive to a larger group effected.
Bombs are favored by anarchists and terrorists for that reason.
It took almost 20 years to catch the Unibomber.
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Good points White guy, but in 20 years, there has been many , many advancements and improvements in technology and other investigative tools. I am keeping a positive and open mind as to the present skillsets of these agents and their ability to solve these crimes.
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Technically they never caught the Unibomber. He was turned over by his brother.
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Sounds a lot like someone inspired from “Unabomber” Netflix documentary.
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I was also thinking the same thing about the podcast "Someone Knows Something," which this season is about an unsolved mail bombing in 1996.
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Yes, except the Unabomber explicitly targeted academics with his package bombs, and he sent them out at entirely random intervals over a 17-year period. He also only managed to kill three people during those 17 years. In contrast, the current bomber's victims have no apparent relation, and he's killed two people (so far) in less than a month. Further, the Unabomber targeted people across the country; this one is explicitly targeting people in a single city, assuming the FedEx package was bound for Austin.
1
I heard this morning that 350 FBI agents are being sent to TX to help with this investigation.
Please help me out, is the good FBI or the bad, 'deep state' FBI going?
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That's actually not a silly distinction to make. There is the FBI that does important, valuable work on behalf of the American people, and there is the FBI that helped the U.S. government lie its way into an illegal war that killed vast numbers of innocent people and paved the way for the rise of ISIS.
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David of WA:
What evidence do you have that The FBI "...helped the U.S. government lie its way into an illegal war..." ?
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I think your comment is facetious, but I think it would be better if you phrased your point another way, as some misguided people probably think you are really referring to "bad" FBI and you could then be reinforcing their erroneous ideas.
9