In the press conference they said they found one suspect and then took time to check if he was working alone or with someone. They wanted to have all suspects before the released anything.
By "found" you mean that they identified a possible suspect as being captured on video, right? Because I don't think they said anything about anyone being in custody, and the latest Times report doesn't mention that: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/19/us/boston-set-to-mourn-bom...
So again, why tip off the suspect(s) to anything? I know the pressure for movement on this case is intense, but it seems like the FBI could get away with another day of "We're looking at some leads and talking to witnesses, we hope to make a break etc etc." until the photos were ready to be released without giving the suspects much warning.
Yes I meant identified.
I don't understand how already having a suspect in custody makes this release of photos a logical move to flush out the co-conspirator. Maybe I'm slow..
Because if the conspirators have agreed to maintain radio silence until a given point, the assertion that the FBI is still looking for two suspects could lead the non-captured conspirator to assume that the first conspirator is just continuing to lay low.
As to why release the photos at all...well, it might not be to flush him out directly, but just that the FBI really is hoping that the public will be able to identify the uncaptured conspirator.
Maybe they were hoping that the knowledge that FBI have good footage would be enough for the suspects to hand themselves in... before this turns into a public witch hunt.
Re:FBI Updates on Boston explosions
by whiskeychaser on Thursday April 18, 2013 @06:06PM
(#5573449)
Maybe they are putting these pics out knowing full well that they are not suspects and they already have the real suspects either in custody or are on their trail. This release could be a bluff. Wouldn't be the first time.
Re:FBI Updates on Boston explosions
by mootothemax on Thursday April 18, 2013 @06:15PM
(#5573499)
Maybe they are putting these pics out knowing full well that they are not suspects and they already have the real suspects either in custody or are on their trail. This release could be a bluff. Wouldn't be the first time.
Purely out of interest - and I'm possibly showing my ignorance here - when has this tactic been used before?
That's what the cynical person in me is thinking. However, the realistic person in me is thinking: if that is the case, then the FBI released these photos knowing full well that innocent men who look at all similar to these blurry photos are now at risk of getting beaten/murdered...which would not help the investigation.
Wouldn't make sense. You can't just say "OK, we were kidding, we got these guys we didn't tell you about!" and get away with it. Massive lawsuits would be filed by these guys and many at the top of the FBI would be forced to resign.
You read too many bad crime novels and I wish I could downvote you.
This is an absurd conspiracy theory. Downvoted.
Re:FBI Updates on Boston explosions
by corresation on Thursday April 18, 2013 @06:13PM
(#5573489)
I have to think that the suspects had to assume that there would be images of them. If you do something in public (much less a major event), you will be recorded countless times. The conspirators would have to be incredible dumb to think otherwise, which is why they are probably long gone.
Assuming that the FBI had total control of this release schedule (and that'a a big if), I don't see the strategy of this. Even if they were 99% sure that they had legit footage of possible suspects, why announce that, until they are good and ready (i.e. within an hour) to release them to the public? In fast-moving crime scenes, the strategy is usually to withhold as many facts of the crime from the public until a good suspect has been nabbed...among other things, this prevents people from claiming to have witnessed specifics when in fact, they only saw them on TV or heard about it in the news.
When a witness (or suspect) tells the police a fact that has been withheld from the public, that's a tool for the police to use to determine a witness's reliability.
In the case we have now, the suspected bombers have had at least 12 hours notice that the FBI had working images of them. Even if it were a complete bluff...what would be the point? Isn't it better to keep the suspects in as much ignorance as possible? It may be that at least one of them is dumb and complacent enough to think they've gotten away with it.
But this is a new age of news dissemination, so maybe the FBI was just flying by the seat of their pants. Part of me thinks that they did have a suspect/person of interest all this time (since yesterday's erroneous reports) and that this release is a partial ruse to flush out a co-conspirator (who, if he/she believes the press conference, thinks that the FBI has no one in custody yet).