GOP vows solidarity after bombings

Congressional Republicans this weekend took a break from their attacks on President Obama to mourn the casualties suffered in the Boston Marathon bombings and vow swift justice for those who would harm Americans.

In the GOP's weekly radio address – normally used to toss barbs across the aisle – Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) praised the first responders to the tragedy and warned would-be terrorists that no act of violence can undermine the country's resilience.

"The Boston Marathon bombing has left us all with a heavy heart and we pray for the victims and their families," Scott said. "However, while the perpetrators of this act of terror hoped that they could shake the confidence of a city, they have instead only strengthened the resolve of our nation.

“To those who would attack America or our citizens, let me say this: There is no corner on Earth, no hiding place in America that will keep us from finding you," Scott added. “The leaders of this country will do everything in our power to bring justice for the families and the communities impacted."

Monday's back-to-back bombings near the finish line of Boston's storied marathon killed three people, injured more than 170 and horrified a nation that hasn't seen an attack of that scale since 9/11.

A manhunt came to an end just hours before Scott's address, when law enforcers apprehended the second of two chief bombing suspects in the Watertown area of Greater Boston after a tense, day-long manhunt that led to the unprecedented lockdown of much of the city and its surroundings.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, an ethnic Chechen thought to have immigrated to the U.S. with his family roughly a decade ago, was found hiding in a boat in a residential backyard in Watertown after eluding authorities for nearly 24 hours.

His brother, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, was killed by police Friday morning in a violent shootout that followed a similarly bloody crime spree featuring a convenience store robbery, a car jacking, a high-speed chase and the killing of a campus police officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

That series of events began Thursday afternoon, when the FBI released to the public photos and videos of two suspects strolling near the course of the marathon Monday as unwitting spectators cheered on the racers. Officials think the two brothers put make-shift bombs, stowed in their backpacks, into trashcans near the finish line.

Obama had visited Boston Thursday to meet with first responders and preside over a prayer service for victims.

Like the Republicans, the president on Saturday dropped all politics from his weekly radio address, instead calling on the nation to set aside its differences and join Bostonians in grieving the victims and praising the heroes who rushed to help.

"Americans refuse to be terrorized," Obama said. "Ultimately, that’s what we’ll remember from this week. That’s what will remain."

Scott echoed that message, arguing that the country is at its best in times of adversity.

“The greatness of America is not seen during times of prosperity, but is crystallized by how we respond to challenges," Scott said. “We will stand strong. We will stand united. And we will stand together for Boston."

The weekly addresses were a rare instance of comity in Washington, where the parties have been in a fierce debate over Obama's gun control agenda, which was blocked this week in the Senate, and are poised to launch into an equally contentious battle over immigration reform.

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FBI releases images of suspects in Boston Marathon bombings

The FBI released photos on Thursday of two suspects in the Monday bombing of the Boston Marathon that killed three people and injured 176.

The two men are both wearing baseball caps and carrying backpacks, and the FBI said it has video of one of the men leaving his backpack near the site of one of the explosions.

"We consider them armed and extremely dangerous. No one should approach them," FBI Special Agent Rick DesLauriers said in a briefing. "No one should attempt to apprehend them except law enforcement. Let me reiterate that caution, do not take any action on your own. If you see these men, contact law enforcement."

The FBI released several photos of the two men as well as a video of the two men walking near the marathon route. Some of the images show the two men walking together, which captured the attention of investigators. 

Finding the two suspects is now the primary focus of the investigation, DesLauriers said.

"Identifying and locating those responsible is now our highest priority," said DesLauriers. "No other details of the investigation will be released at this time because this is our focus now. It continues to be an ongoing, active investigation."

The first man identified has a black baseball cap with white lettering and a dark backpack. The FBI does not have video of that man leaving his backpack on the parade route.

The second man, seen leaving the backpack, is wearing a white baseball cap backwards. That man, after leaving the backpack, walked west on Boylston Street, the FBI agent added.

Source: FBI

“At these time these are the people of interest to the FBI," DesLauriers said.

While the two men remain at large, DesLauriers said: “There is no additionally imminent danger that we are aware of right now.”

Authorities had previously said that the explosive devices in the bombings had been made of pressure cookers loaded with BB pellets, shards of metal and ball bearings. Law enforcement officials said the explosives were carried in dark nylon bags.

The announcement of the two suspects comes three days after the attack. The interim was filled with false reports of suspects and arrests by the FBI. 

President Obama traveled to Boston Thursday to take part in an interfaith service for the victims.

The president promised in his speech that the perpetrators of the attack would be captured. 

"Yes, we will find you, and yes, you will face justice," Obama said. "We will find you, we will hold you accountable, but more than that, our fidelity to our way of life, to a free and open society, will only grow stronger." 

Obama also praised Boston for being resilient in carrying on after the tragedy.

"A bomb can't beat us," the president added. "That's why we don't hunker down. That's why we don't cower in fear. We carry on. We race. We strive. We build and we work and we love."

Earlier on Thursday, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mike McCaul (R-Texas) told reporters that he's worried if the FBI investigation takes too long, the bombers could have the chance to flee the country. 

"Everyday that passes, it gets colder," McCaul said of the trail the FBI is seeking to follow. "As a federal prosecutor, the first 24 hours of a murder case are pretty important." 

Source: FBI

The forensic tests on the bombs could be completed as early as today, which will give officials more specific information about the bomb maker, McCaul said. 

"That's going to tell us a lot," he said. "Hopefully they execute search warrants and hopefully find these guys."

"The terrorists are still out there," he said. "I know flights outbound of the United States are on high alert. But every day that goes by it's more difficult to find them."

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano pleaded for patience Thursday morning during a House hearing, where she said the FBI had identified people of interest. 

“There is some video that has raised the question of those [people] that the FBI would like to speak with. I wouldn’t characterize them as suspects under the technical term, but we need the public’s help in locating these individuals.”

Napolitano said that while the FBI hasn’t made any arrests in the case, the investigation is progressing and the public and media should understand that the work will take time.

“The investigation is proceeding apace. This is not an 'NCIS' episode. Sometimes you have to take time to properly put the chain together to identify the perpetrators. Everyone’s committed to seeing that that gets done in the right way.”

—This story was last updated at 6:26 p.m.

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Obama on Boston bombings: ‘We will find out who did this’

President Obama pledged Monday to bring the “full weight of justice” against those responsible for the bombing of the Boston Marathon.

“Make no mistake. We will get to the bottom of this. We will find out who did this. We will find out how they did this,” the president said in remarks from the White House. “Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice.”

Obama did not use the word terrorism during his remarks, which lasted about three minutes. He ignored questions after he finished his comments.

“We still do not know who did this or why,” he said, before pledging that his administration would “monitor and respond to the situation as it unfolds.”

A White House official said the bombings were clearly terrorism.

"Any event with multiple explosive devices — as this appears to be — is clearly an act of terror, and will be approached as an act of terror," the official said. "However, we don’t yet know who carried out this attack, and a thorough investigation will have to determine whether it was planned and carried out by a terrorist group, foreign or domestic."

While saying “people shouldn't jump to conclusions,” Obama pledged to find answers.

"We don't yet have all the answers but we do know multiple people have been wounded, some gravely, in explosions," Obama said.

At least two people were killed and scores more were injured in the blasts near the finish line of the marathon, which by tradition is run on Patriots’ Day.

Eyewitness reports described bloody chaos, with twin blasts ripping through the crowd as runners finished their race.

“Michelle and I send our deepest thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims in the wake of this senseless loss,” Obama said before adding he was “supremely confident Bostonians will pull together, take care of each other and move forward – as one proud city.”

According to White House officials, the president was briefed twice through the afternoon about the bombing in Boston. The president was notified about the incident around 3 p.m. Eastern and received a first briefing from Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco and other members of his senior White House staff in the Oval Office.

“The president called Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to express his concern for those who were injured and to make clear that his administration is ready to provide needed support as they respond to the incident,” a White House official said.

Patrick, speaking at a press conference in Boston, said Obama had promised to assure the full cooperation of the FBI and ATF.

Later in the afternoon, the president received briefings from FBI Director Robert Mueller and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. The White House posted a picture of Obama speaking with Mueller by phone in the Oval Office online.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he and the president spoke around 5:30 p.m. Boehner planned to hold a moment of silence on the floor of the House at 6:30 p.m.

At the White House, Secret Service cordoned off Pennsylvania Avenue, moving tourists away from the gates to the executive mansion.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have expanded our security perimeter at the White House complex,” Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan. “It is not unusual to expand or contract these security perimeters.”

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