By Colin Campbell 4/25 1:33pm

Terrorism

Times Square. (Photo: Wikimedia)

Report: Boston Marathon Bombers Discussed Targeting Times Square

The two suspects involved in the deadly bombing of the Boston Marathon planned to detonate the rest of their explosives in Times Square, according to NBC 4 New York, a plot echoed by the New York Post, Reuters and many other outlets.

It was initially said that the accused duo, Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, were planning to come to New York to “party,” but earlier this afternoon, widespread reports emerged that Dzhokhar told investigators that he and his brother discussed using their remaining explosives against the city’s tourist-filled landmark. Read More

By Jill Colvin 12:24pm

Law & Order

Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. (Photo John Moore/Getty Images)

Bloomberg Says Interpretation of Constitution Will ‘Have to Change’ After Boston Bombing

In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday the country’s interpretation of the Constitution will “have to change” to allow for greater security to stave off future attacks.

“The people who are worried about privacy have a legitimate worry,” Mr. Bloomberg said during a press conference in Midtown. “But we live in a complex world where you’re going to have to have a level of security greater than you did back in the olden days, if you will. And our laws and our interpretation of the Constitution, I think, have to change.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 4/19 11:40am

Reactions

Shootings In Cambridge, Watertown Draw Massive Police Response

Governor Cuomo Says Boston Bombing Part of ‘New Normal’

Mayor Michael Bloomberg may have canceled his morning radio appearance today in response to the ongoing manhunt for a suspect involved in Monday’s deadly bombing attack on the Boston Marathon, but another top New York official, Governor Andrew Cuomo, scheduled his own radio interview on The Capitol Pressroom soon after. Mr. Cuomo directly addressed the high-profile situation in the Bay State by employing a phrase he previously used to describe climate change in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy: “the new normal.”

“It’s a terrible situation in Boston. And, unfortunately, … one gets the sense that this is more reflective of the ‘new normal,’ if you will,” he explained. “So much of society is changing so rapidly. We talk about a ‘new normal’ when it comes t0 climate change and adjusting to a change in the weather patterns. ‘New normal’ when it comes to public security in a post-9/11 world. Where these random acts of violence, which at one time were implausible, now seem all-too-frequent.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 4/16 2:27pm

Threats

Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly. (Screengrab: NYC.gov)

Mayor Bloomberg Warns About ‘Special Interests’ After Boston Bombing

This afternoon, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly gave a press briefing to update the public on the city’s security efforts in the wake of yesterday’s deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon. And, while stating there are no specific threats connected to the Boston incident, Mr. Bloomberg ominously warned about “special interests” shaping the city’s security policies in a way “that the terrorists are waiting for.”

“The N.Y.P.D … has helped deter and thwart numerous terrorist attacks on our city in the past,” Mr. Bloomberg explained. “But we must remain vigilant for the future. And we are vigilant. The fact is there remain people who want to attack us. The moment we let our guard down, the moment we get complacent, the moment we allow special interests to shape our security strategies is the moment that the terrorists are waiting for.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 4/16 11:36am

Boston Bombing

Pete King on Morning Joe. (Screengrab: MSNBC)

Pete King Says Boston ‘Terrorist Attack’ Shows Need for Police Surveillance

President Barack Obama may have been reluctant to use the term “terrorism” to describe yesterday’s deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon, but Long Island Rep. Pete King, who up until recently was Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, thinks there’s no doubt.

“Clearly, this was a terrorist attack,” Mr. King said on Morning Joe today. “You had the multiple explosions. You had someone who was able to penetrate security. Amateurs don’t do that, so this was well-planned and coordinated. It was a terrorist attack. It’s a question of who did it, … it’s too early to say. Obviously we have to consider whether it was Islamic jihad. It could also be white supremacist, it could be anti-government people.” Read More