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| Terror in Boston | | | THE Boston Marathon finished before it was over
after two bombs were set off on Monday near the finishing line of one of the oldest and most prestigious long-distance running events in the world. The explosions left three people dead and at least 140 injured, many of them seriously. Prompt action by various emergency services undoubtedly saved many lives, and as the FBI investigates the explosions, the world is searching for answers about the tragedy that has befallen the US. Naturally, the bomb blast have received widespread condemnation worldwide, from leaders and common people alike.
Even as President Barack Obama admitted, “We still do not know who did this or why,” and cautioned people against jumping to conclusions, there is no doubt that the massive search will unearth who committed this cowardly act. The US President’s words have had a calming effect on a wounded nation that seeks answers, and then justice, which he has promised. The US for long had felt immune from terror, even as it battled various incidents of domestic terror, including the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing; the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta, Georgia; the 2001 anthrax attacks and many other incidents of shootings. The horrendous attack on the Twin Towers of World Trade in New York on September 11, 2001, left over 3,000 civilians dead and made 9/11 a metaphor for terror.
The Boston Marathon started in 1897, a year after the first Olympic marathon. It is held on Patriots’ Day in the State of Massachusetts every year. The marathon celebrates man’s victory over odds, and it is a mega-event with around 27,000 participants this year, and lakhs of spectators. As one of the bombs exploded, a 78-year-old runner fell on the footpath. Soon thereafter, he got up again and finished the race. That’s the spirit that must be kept alive, even as US federal and other security agencies find and bring to justice those who set off the explosions. |
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