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Deadly Terror Attack at Boston Marathon; North Korean Threat; Obama Responds to Attacks; Timing of the Explosions; Asia-Pacific Markets
Aired April 16, 2013 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: You are watching special coverage of the terror attack in Boston. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Vause. We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and also around the world.
The FBI is taking the lead now investigating Monday's attack at the Boston Marathon. This was the moment as it happened.
Two blasts one right after the other. Just 12 seconds and about 100 yards apart. The chaos was immediate but the toll is still unfolding. Three people are dead, more than 140 are wounded. Many of them critically.
LEMON: And, John, you know, investigators call it a terror attack but who is behind it, whether foreign or domestic, is among the many unknowns at this hour. There are no suspects, no police -- and police are looking to the public for help. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED DAVIS, BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER: The Boston Police Department is on emergency deployment. We are working 12-hour shifts and there will be a significant police presence throughout the city. Please give us some space around the Copley Area as we process this scene.
And again, if there are any -- any pieces of information or photos from the incident, getting those to the two tip lines, the FBI tip lines. Primarily they are now in charge of the investigation because of the nature of this investigation as well as the Boston Police line at 1-800-494-TIPS.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And this may or may not be part of the investigation. Police has spent several hours now investigating an apartment in Revere, Massachusetts, which is about five miles from the scene of that attack -- John.
VAUSE: And Don, President Barack Obama has called for increased security around the country as needed. He's ordered that the full resources of the federal government be brought to bear in responding to these attacks. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Make no mistake. We will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this. We'll find out why they did this. Any -- any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The president also announcing this earlier as expected. Other major cities across the nation are not taking any chances. Law enforcement in Washington, D.C., in New York, in San Francisco, are in a heightened state of alert. Police in Los Angeles implemented extra security measures at Dodgers Stadium for Monday's game against the San Diego Padres. And Miami Dade Police officials say they've increased security in areas with critical infrastructures.
VAUSE: And in London, officials there are also watching what happened in Boston very closely. Especially those who are in charge of Sunday's London Marathon. That's the world's biggest. The event attracts half a million spectators each year.
The chief executive of the London Marathon, Nick Bitel, said, "Today was a very sad day for athletics and for our friends in marathon running. Our security plan is developed jointly with the Metropolitan Police and we were in contact with them as soon we heard the news."
LEMON: Why don't we get back to the scene now of Monday's Boston Marathon bombing? And CNN's Peter Hamby is there. He joins us now live.
Peter, you've got some new information for us?
PETER HAMBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, Don, we do know now that officials of the FBI are going to brief reporters at 9:30 tomorrow morning at the Westin Hotel, just a few blocks away. And just a block away from the explosions takes place. But you nailed it a few minutes ago. There is so much we don't know. We do not know if these are -- this attack was a foreign or domestic attack. There is no credible threat about the attack before it happened.
But right now investigators are behind me on Exeter Street. This is a crime scene perimeter behind me. They've set up about six or seven blocks. Unmarked cars, Boston Police cars are pulling in right behind me to investigate. They're also setting up barriers around here to make the security even tighter, Don. So we're still waiting to hear very much tonight.
VAUSE: Peter, one of the big clues here will be those two devices -- well, at least one device, possibly two, maybe more, which were not detonated. What sort of clues? What sort of information are the authorities expecting to get from them?
HAMBY: Right. And that -- and we heard Bob Baer earlier talking about this. There could be any number of clues. Those could be the best evidence. There could be fingerprints on some of these unexploded devices. You know, but right now they're looking behind me at some of the ones that did explode for forensic evidence.
John, I mean, this is still such a chaotic scene here and I want to kind of go back a minute to what happened earlier. Listen -- listen to some of the police scanner sounds that we were able to tap into right after this happened just to give you a sense of what it was like for first responders and law enforcement officials right after it happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely devices here. I need officers. Definitely devices here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Units, stay off the air. Units, stay off the air. Just make your way over there. All unites, stay off the air and make your way over there. I only want to hear from the 984. I only want to hear from that supervisor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Delta 984. Give me a clearance (INAUDIBLE) to what I need. I need as many (INAUDIBLE) as you can get me. I want Ring Road cleared indoors and in and out, (INAUDIBLE). Unit 984, take control of the fire coming in. I need lanes open here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Copy. Just keep giving it out sir. All -- everybody else, stay off the air.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Delta 984.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Delta 984, sir. Go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need help up from the medical tent. Get as many people up here as you can from the medical tent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMBY: John, we also have new video that were just getting in tonight of people picking up some of the bags that were left behind by the marathon runners. Remember, a lot of these runners didn't finish the race. At the marathon, people are still, usually, trickling past the finish line late into the evening. But of course that did not happen this evening.
I was wandering around here earlier and came across rows and rows of empty school buses that went on for blocks. These buses are for runners to escort them, you know, away from the site. But they are just sitting there unused. Just kind of an eerie scene around Boylston Street earlier. Usually it's just a packed, packed, packed street. And absolutely no one there besides law enforcement officials earlier today -- John.
VAUSE: You know, what was interesting is that all of those bags that were left behind it's one of the -- one of the issues for the law enforcement officials because they had to check every one of those bags to make sure there were no more explosive devices left there.
LEMON: And they were talking earlier about how just quickly law enforcement and emergency workers sprung into action there to suspend the race and to get people to hospitals within minutes. And probably why so many lives were saved, but just to see all those bags there and to hear Peter talking about the empty school buses, which normally transport people, it's just -- it was really sad to hear.
And, you know, John, the injuries seen from the terror attack, normally ones that are seen in the battlefield.
VAUSE: What we've been hearing, both at the scene and at the hospitals, it was like a war zone.
And coming up, we'll tell you what the doctors have been seeing in their emergency rooms. Stay with us. You're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB O'DONNELL, BOSTON MARATHON SPECTATOR: It was all explosion type trauma. Multiple open fractures. There was amputated extremities, multiple open fractures. There was a couple I came across who were obviously DOA. But it's an awful thing. It's right at the finish line. It was right at the point where a lot of people, you know, the average Joes, were just coming in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Really just horrific scenes at the Boston Marathon after two bombs exploded one right after the other.
VAUSE: Three people were killed including an 8-year-old boy, more than 140 others were injured. About a dozen are still listed in critical condition.
Hundreds of police officers, emergency personnel and volunteers rushed towards the blast to help the victims. Doctors say most of the victims suffered injuries to their lower extremities.
LEMON: I have been taken to a number of hospitals around the area. And we have a graphic of just how many different hospitals and how many different people. I think it's nine different hospitals.
VAUSE: Nine hospitals.
LEMON: That they were taken to.
VAUSE: Really stretching the entire medical resources there in Boston.
LEMON: Yes. Yes, there it is right there. And you see the one at the bottom right of your screen, Brigham and Women's Hospital. That's where we find CNN's Jason Carroll.
Jason, 2:12 Eastern Time in the morning. Hospitals very busy behind you. JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Absolutely. And you know, you have to imagine that a lot of these doctors, these nurses, the attendants are just running on adrenaline. You see one shift coming after another. The one common denominator that we see is when you look at the nurses and some of the doctors who are coming out of the hospital, Don, it's -- the look on their faces, they are tired, they are weary and but they are dedicated and determined to save and to try to help those who are being treated here.
Some 31 patients here at this particular hospital. Two in critical. Some of the injuries, again we've talked about this earlier. You've seen the video. You've seen pictures and what they're seeing here, one attendant described it in the very beginning as a wave after wave of ambulance that was coming in.
One of the trauma doctors here, Dr. Ron Walls, said they started getting one patient and another and then another. And then the magnitude of what had happened started to seep in. And in terms of the types of injuries that they were seeing, head injuries, but mostly to the lower extremities. Bone injuries, tissue injuries. He talked about the shrapnel that was taken out of some of the patients here. Wasn't sure if the shrapnel had come from one of the explosive devices or from material that was in the area.
What was interesting is the way the doctor described the fact that those who were in danger of losing their limbs or those who had lost limbs, it was their lower extremities which gives you an idea of the way that the bomb blast had sort of -- had sort of spread out. It seems to suggest it was planted in something low to the ground. At least that's what doctors are saying here now.
Once again, 31 patients that were brought here. Two in critical. Nine that were in surgery. Those two that are in critical condition, they are in fear of losing their limbs. But doctors have been trained for this, Don. They've gone through drills for events just like this. But doctors saying even all the training could not have prepared them for something like this today.
VAUSE: And Jason, some of these injuries are so horrific that many of the injured --
CARROLL: Yes.
VAUSE: -- will need multiple surgeries. So what have doctors been saying about that?
CARROLL: Yes, John, that's absolutely right. John, we're talking about multiple surgeries, just in one day. The doctors basically saying that when you're dealing with a trauma patient, all sorts of things can come up in terms of loss of blood, in trying to stop that from happening. Trying to repair arteries if that can even be done. I mean some of the injuries are so extensive. I mean you can -- you can just imagine what -- what they're just trying to deal with here.
VAUSE: And very quickly, have doctors and investigators learned anything about the blasts by looking at the injuries which they've had to treat so far?
CARROLL: Absolutely. Absolutely. Without question, because once again the doctors here are telling me that a lot of the injuries were to the lower extremities. The legs, the ankles, the feet. Things such as that. That's where they were removing a lot of the shrapnel. And also, those who are in danger of losing limbs it was their lower extremities, their legs. It would seem to suggest, according to the doctors here that perhaps once again the explosive devices were planted in something low to the ground.
LEMON: And I know you're there at the hospital, but Jason, you've covered enough of these stories and stories about Iraq and Afghanistan. A military friend who has been texting me throughout the coverage, saying, when I was in Iraq, a lot of agencies including the FBI, Don, learned a lot about gaining forensic evidence from exploded and unexploded devices.
There will be answers. This reminds me of 9/11. He says, no one knew for sure who did it, but answers will come. And we've been talking about two devices that maybe one, maybe two that have -- that did not detonate, did not explode, and then also the types of injuries, that leads investigators to figure out exactly how this -- who might be responsible for this -- Jason.
CARROLL: Don, I think that's an excellent point. And I think what will happen is you're going to have this sort of cross, sort of pollination between investigators and doctors. Doctors helping with investigators in terms of describing the types of injuries that they've seen. The shrapnel that they pulled from some of the victims here.
You do see that in places like Afghanistan with the IEDs planted on roads. I've been to southern Afghanistan, you see it happening there. And interestingly enough, and sadly, you know, you hear the descriptions and a lot of those who were coming in, to some people who've not been in war zones, they said it must be -- this is what it must be like when you're actually in a war zone.
LEMON: Jason Carroll. Thank you, Jason. We'll get back to you.
VAUSE: Well, we'll have more on the Boston terror attack coming up next.
And also North Korea has threatened the South once again? We'll tell you what set off the latest round of rhetoric.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Delta 984.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 984. 984, go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get all unites in the city to this scene now, please. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have multiple people down here. OK? I don't know what the cause is. Stand by.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. All available officers --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tango, Niner, One. We have an unattended backpack at Boylston and Fairfield. We need to set up a perimeter here and get people away from it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Set a perimeter at Boylston and Fairfield, guys. Boylston and Fairfield. Clear everybody out of there. Use caution. There'll be -- there might be possible additional devices. Once again, all officers monitoring, use caution. There are possible other devices in the area.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That was nearly 12 hours ago. Twelve hours after all that chaos in Boston. Here's what we know right now. The FBI leading the investigation into what one White House official calls clearly an act of terror. At the moment, there is no official suspect in custody in connection with the deadly double bombing at the Boston Marathon.
The two bombs exploded only seconds apart near the finish line of Monday's race, killing at least three people including an 8-year-old boy. More than 140 others have been injured.
VAUSE: And we will have more on the terror attack in Boston in just a moment but we also will look at some other news from around the world.
There is no let-up in angry rhetoric from North Korea. The latest from Pyongyang, an ultimatum for Seoul. Retaliation, what it calls insults, in the form of protest in the South. And it could come at any time.
Kyung Lah is following the latest for us now from CNN in Seoul.
Kyung, what is the North saying now and how is the South Koreans reacting to it?
KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the threat that North Koreans specifically said is that it would engage in a retaliatory attack without any notice. What the North was saying in this rather strong statement, that particular sentence at least, was in reaction to a protest that was here in Seoul yesterday. And it was a protest that we were at. And I want you to take a look at this video.
It was very well participated. There were about 100 people there. And what they did was they lit effigies of Kim Jong-Un. His father and his grandfather, lit them in flames. It was particularly insulting for North Korea because on the day it happened. It is the 101st anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-Sung, the founder of North Korea. So North Korea responding very strongly with this particular threat. What South Korea has said is that it hopes to dial down the tensions. It wants to return to talks. The Defense Ministry here in South Korea saying that they find the North Korean statement that was released today to be quite regrettable.
But a bit of context actually I would like to -- like to lend to this is if there is any good news in this, this threat from North Korea, in the context of all the other threats in the last few months, it is quite mild compared to threatening thermo nuclear war against the United States -- John.
VAUSE: It does seem that the talk and the rhetoric is starting to be walked back at least a little bit. The heat is coming out of this a touch. And to that end, no more talk of a missile launch. It certainly doesn't look like it's going to happen any time soon. Yet the South Koreans are saying it could still be imminent. So where -- where does this all go from here?
LAH: What the South Koreans are saying is that it could be imminent because you don't know. It's impossible to predict what the hermit kingdom is going to do. And that's how the allies in the region are continuing to behave. They do believe that it could happen. But it does not appear that it will happen.
According to numerous people in the United States as well as South Korea, if they look at the movements of North Korea, it doesn't appear. If you match it with the rhetoric and the dialing down of the rhetoric, it does not appear to be imminent. But because we're talking about Seoul being one hour away from the DMZ, there's so many millions of people who are here in the city of Seoul. They have to behave as if it is potential -- potentially something that could be imminent -- John.
VAUSE: Yes. And of course, there's been some intense diplomacy in the region. The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was in Seoul where you were, then Beijing and Tokyo. All of this may be having some effect.
Kyung Lah, thank you. Kyung Lah, live for us in Seoul.
Venezuela is divided after presidential election results sparked protests and celebrations. Police fired tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators chanting fraud in response to Nicholas Nicholas Maduro's win. Officials showed that Maduro narrowly defeated Henrique Capriles with 50.7 percent of the vote in Sunday's election. Maduro was Hugo Chavez' handpicked successor. Electoral authorities formally confirmed Maduro as Venezuela's president-elect on Monday. Capriles has demanded a recount and he has called for his supporters to protest peacefully.
LEMON: Just looking at some of the personal stories. Reading some of the personal stories coming out of this horrific bombing and we're going to just -- I'll save that for viewers from the other side of the break.
VAUSE: Yes. LEMON: Because I want to read some of them to you about the 8-year- old boy, about some of the parents from Newtown who were sitting in the crowd when this all happened. You're going to hear their stories coming up right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Welcome back, everyone, to CNN's special coverage of the terror attacks in Boston. I'm Don Lemon.
VAUSE: I'm John Vause. We'd like to bring you up to date with what we know so far.
The FBI now leads the investigation into Monday's bombing at the Boston marathon. An 8-year-old boy is among three people killed when one blast was followed just seconds later by another.
The death toll could rise as more than 140 people are wounded, many of them critically. A doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital says many victims were hit in the legs with shrapnel from the blast and several amputations have been performed.
President Barack Obama says those responsible will feel the full weight of justice -- Don.
LEMON: John, I want to read some of this. I want you to hear now, want our viewers to hear. This is from the "Boston Globe." It's a writer named Kevin Cullen from the "Boston Globe." He writes about the 8-year-old boy that you just mentioned who was killed. He also writes about other people he witnessed and that he heard about was there.
That is Kevin Cullen's page on the Metro section of the "Boston Globe." The first one I want you to -- I want to read about, this is Newtown families. And you just go with us here, viewers.
"The location and timing of the bombs was sinister beyond belief, done purposely to maximize death and destruction. This is among those who watched in horror as -- as a fireball belched out across the sidewalk on Boylston where the parents of the school kids murdered in Newtown, Connecticut. The 'Atlantic' reported they were sitting in a VIP section at the finish line across the street from the explosion."
Then he goes on to write about the 8-year-old boy and about the rescue workers who had showed up. He said, "This is how bad it is. I went out Monday night and bumped into some firefighters I know. They said, one of the dead was an 8-year-old boy from Dorchester who had gone out to hug his dad after he crossed the finish line. The dad walked on. The boy went back to the sidewalk to join his mom and his little sister, and then the bomb went off. The boy was killed. The sister's leg was blown off. His mother was badly injured."
That's just one family. One story. One more personal account here. He goes on to write, "I saw Lisa Hughes from WBZ-TV trying to do her job amid the blood and the body parts. And then I remembered that Lisa, who is as nice a person as you'll ever find in this business, married a guy from Wellesley named Mike Casey, who lost his wife Nelly on one of the planes out of Boston that crashed into the Twin Towers. And then I tried not to cry and just marveled at how professional Lisa was."
Just three accounts that he writes about in a very moving article in the "Boston Globe" by Kevin Collins.
So you see what the folks there are dealing with tonight.
VAUSE: Very powerful stories.
LEMON: Yes.
VAUSE: A sad day.
Now the blast shattered glass and sent barricades flying. It was even powerful enough to knock people off their feet. Seventy-eight-year- old Bill Iffrig had the finish line in sight when the first bomb exploded. And he spoke to Piers Morgan a little earlier and described what he'd felt and what he saw. Piers also spoke to a "Boston Globe" photographer who right in front of the runners and saw his assignment change in an instant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN TLUMACKI, BOSTON GLOBE PHOTOGRAPHERS: I saw so many injuries that I had never seen before. I saw people with their legs blown off, their foots blown off. I just couldn't believe the carnage. When I got to the other side of the fence, there was a barricade fence to keep spectators off the course. There was just people on top of people on top of people and it was just -- it was just an incredible sad sight to see that and I just fear that the death toll will be greater than the three it is now.
PIERS MORGAN, HOST, PIERS MORGAN LIVE: John, I'm just going to leave you there for a moment. We've now got on the line Bill Iffrig, who is that gentleman that we saw being blown off his feet there, the man in the orange, and that image right now on the cameras there with the police.
Bill Iffrig, thank you for joining me tonight.
BILL IFFRIG, 78-YEAR-OLD RUNNER WAS KNOCKED TO GROUND: Thank you.
MORGAN: The whole world has seen the images of you being blown off of your feet. Tell me exactly what you experienced as you ran towards the finishing line.
IFFRIG: Well, I was just approaching the last straight away to the finish line. I had a good day and I was feeling really good. And I got down within about 15 feet of the finishing apron and this tremendous explosion, sounded like a bomb went off right next to me. And the shockwaves just hit my whole body and my legs just started jittering around.
I knew I was going down and so I ended up down on the blacktop and I didn't feel any severe pain but as I rolled over, I seen a little scratch on my leg but nothing too bad, so I laid there just momentarily. One of the finisher assistants come over and talked to me and asked me if there was anything he could do and offered to give me a hand, help me get up and help me get over the finish line so I could complete my race.
So we did that and I felt OK so I told him I was probably all right. He insisted on getting a wheelchair over there so we started to do that, but then before that was rounded up, I said hey, I'm only -- my hotel is about six blocks away so I think I can make it OK. So they let me -- let me get out of there and I went on home to my wife.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Just a small scratch on his leg.
Hours after the attack, President Obama addressed the nation. Mr. Obama vowed to get to the bottom of the attack and ordered federal resources to investigate.
Chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin has the story.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Don, John, expect President Obama to be briefed throughout the day today on developments in the investigation. No doubt we'll see his schedule start to move to accommodate meetings on the Boston attack. And he'll have to start thinking about going to Boston to pay his respects.
So far the FBI is leading the federal effort with support from the Department of Homeland Security. Attorney General Holder called the Massachusetts U.S. attorney to make sure the full resources of the Justice Department are made available to investigate this unfolding crisis.
When the president spoke in the briefing room, he said he doesn't have the answers we all want. Who did this, why. But he vowed investigators will find the guilty and they will face justice. He did not call this a terror attack.
Shortly after his statement I spoke with a White House official who did. That official told me that this was clearly an act of terror, but a thorough investigation will have to determine whether it was planned and carried out by a terrorist group.
So the White House is clearly being careful with words here out of an abundance of caution trying to avoid a rush to judgment.
Jessica Yellin, CNN, the White House.
LEMON: All right, Jessica, thank you very much.
As the investigation proceeds the timing of the explosions has stumped many people. Most of the runners had already passed the finish lines.
CNN's Tom Foreman tells us what police will be looking for to answer those questions. TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One of the mysteries of these attacks is that they happen so late in the sporting event. More than 17,500 runners had already completed the 26.2 miles. Had passed the finish line and got on their way. Only about 6,000 remained. The Elite World Class runners who attract so many spectators had long passed and left. And that's when these explosions happen.
So what are police looking for? They're trying to find any way to see a connection between the people who were along this course before the explosions and the time they happened. They're asking for video, they're asking for anything that people took in way of photographs along here to see if there's some connection. Do they see some person who appears in a series of pictures or videos who seems to be connected to those explosive points.
If they can find that, that's a lead. That's something they can follow and then maybe they can solve some of the mysteries of these attacks.
VAUSE: And our thanks to Tom Foreman for that report.
And witnesses say there was a very heavy security presence during the Boston Marathon.
LEMON: Well, so those behind the attacks found a crack big enough to cause some very serious damage.
VAUSE: And joining us now from London to talk about the security nightmare at such big events like this, Will Geddes, he's the managing director at International Corporate Protection, a threat management company in London.
Will, my first question for you, this was a softer -- this was a soft target. So was an attack like this just simply a matter of time?
WILL GEDDES, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE PROTECTION: I think it's something that we've always been concerned about. I mean, there haven't been many international or major sporting events that have been talked in the past and certainly I think Atlanta and the Olympics was really probably the most prominent in terms of a successful terrorist or a malicious attack, if you like.
But securing something like a marathon is incredibly difficult. You've got a 26-mile course. And to try and protect it all the way along their route is virtually impossible.
LEMON: What does it tell you about choosing this particular venue, the time of day, where the bombs were placed? Does this tell you anything about whether it was homegrown or whether it's foreign terrorism?
GEDDES: Again, I think one of the main component parts which has yet to be obviously revealed will be the composition or the signature, if you like, of the devices that were actually used on this occasion. I mean, if you -- if we go through that list of criteria as you just mentioned, i.e., where exactly did the bombs detonate, what times did they detonate?
And so did they have hallmarks of a terrorist attack? And certainly when we look at the fact that it was much after the veteran runners or the elite runners had actually subsequently passed. And you're looking at their capacity and having run marathons myself. That three and a half to five hour period is when you have good capacity of runners coming through.
You're looking at the finish point where there's going to be largest amounts of media that is present and as we know terrorists are very sapping and they want major exposure for their attacks.
VAUSE: And will --
GEDDES: So, you know, there were lots of things -- yes.
VAUSE: Sorry. Sorry to drop. But no warnings. No intelligence. Is it fair to see, I mean, clearly the authorities were caught flat- footed?
GEDDES: Well, again, it's very, very difficult. Until we find out more information. Again, we don't know whether this was a particular formed group or whether it was a lone actor. Again, Oslo is a very good case in point with Anders Breivik. This is a lone actor who'd planned this for many, many years. And yet set up a very, very sophisticated multi-location attack which immediately led the authorities to believe it was a much more sophisticated and larger group behind it. So, again, it's too early to tell whether it's international or domestic.
LEMON: You know, Will, it's been interesting to watch experts on a number of different networks. I'm flipping around tonight, I've been watching everyone's coverage and people have been saying, it's almost virtually impossible to combat something like this, especially with an open event like a marathon, is that so?
GEDDES: Yes, and I think pretty much so. It is very, very difficult when one puts this in comparison to, say, a sporting venue like a football stadium or an Olympic stadium. You've a perimeter that you can set up around a fixed location. When you have something like a marathon you've got a very, very long route.
But bearing in mind that the Boston marathon was also on a Monday. This is a normal working day and also Patriots Day, which is a Massachusetts Holiday. So we know. So you have a lot of people converging into Boston so very, very difficult. And the criminals and the terrorists will look for the easiest possible targets. And a marathon is a good choice on that part.
LEMON: Well, I just want to follow up on that question because what if in the beginning -- probably the biggest group of people, in the beginning of the race and then to finish for the race. And I have heard one expert say, well, maybe the beginning of the race will be enclosed. At the end of the races will be enclosed or raises in the the future, and they may protect against this particular kind of attack? GEDDES: Well, I don't think it will necessary protect. I think what it will do is it would mitigate or minimize the chances of impact open attack. Certainly Dan Expo was correct in saying that the star points is a very vulnerable positions because that's when you're going to have to -- the largest convergence of people enclosed within a particular area.
And likewise, at the finish points. Where people obviously finishing away. We've got a vast majority of spectators waiting for their loved ones to cross the line. However that -- those points in between. That has to -- one has to be concerned about.
VAUSE: And well, you mentioned the Atlanta Olympics, the bombings here in Atlanta in 1996. A fairly good comparison to what happened in Boston. If history is a guide, then it seems there'll be sometime before they make an arrest because it was seven years after the bombing before Eric Robert Rudolph was caught, so will we be waiting sometime before this -- there's an arrest?
GEDDES: I think that we'll be. I mean, the first thing that the -- the federal agencies that will be dealing with probably right now. We'll be -- all the weird one for people out there who are going to be calling in and taking claim and responsibility for this attack. And they've got a very, very difficult chance initially to sift through all those various claims and providence whether any of them could be be actually accurate.
But if there is an organized that is behind, or most baby behind me, this particular bombings. They will probably not shy Away from coming forward and giving some evidence as to why it was them and proving that it was them.
If it isn't a lone actor, again, this could take a considerable amount of time to find out who they were.
LEMON: All right. Will Geddes, thank you very much, sir, appreciates your expertise.
VAUSE: And we will have much more on the terror attack in Boston in just a few moments. And when we come back, we'll also check in, see how the markets are doing in the nation. That's unofficial.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: And welcome back. We'll continue these developments out of Boston and we'll have more on that a little later, but now I want to check on business news.
The price of gold just sunk to its lowest level in more than two years. Gold for June plants more than 9 percent on Monday, $1361. That was after a five percent drop on Friday. Prices are down 29 percent from their record-highs. Putting the commodity firmly in the a territory.
Let's check what's happening with the Asian markets right now.
Pauline Chiou joins us live from Hong Kong. There was a big selloff on Wall Street but not really having an impact in Asia.
PAULINE CHIOU, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, today we did see the impact early in the morning session, John. But now it's been able to -- indices here have been able to claw back some ground.
You did mention gold and gold is just one of the many commodities that's down in Asia trading and this is because of that disappointing GDP data that was announced yesterday out of China. Still having that effect today.
Now in the last hour since we last spoke, the markets have been gaining a little bit of ground after they spent most of the session in negative territory. Let's take a look at the big board right now.
The Hang Seng is just about flat right now. The Shanghai Composite just an hour ago was down by .4 of a percent. It has bounced back up to .4 of a percent in positive territory. The Nikkei has sunk even lower, down by .4 of 1 percent. And part of that is we're seeing the yen weaken and then strengthen again, which is hurting Japanese exporters right now.
But we are still seeing pressure on commodities and raw material producers. Now this is from worries that China's slowing growth means less demand for commodities like iron ore and oil. In fact a break crude has fallen below $100 a barrel, right now it's trading at around $99 a barrel.
And price of gold is still below $1400 an ounce, although it has risen in the last hour to $1,373 an ounce. And we're seeing a knock on the (INAUDIBLE) with commodities on the share market in Australia which is now down by .3 of a percent. Earlier it was down by about .4 of a percent. So it is gaining a little bit of ground. But still in general, not surprisingly that this is having an impact in the resource sector after the GDP numbers from yesterday.
So, John, that's a quick snapshot of how things are looking here in the Asia-Pacific region. Originally looking pretty bad earlier in the morning session, but now gaining a little bit of ground.
VAUSE: OK, Pauline. Thank you. Pauline Chiou live for us in Hong Kong.
We'll have our top story when we come back. More of the terror attack in Boston plus the very latest on the investigation.
LEMON: Absolutely. Plus we're going to hear from survivors, witnesses, and first responders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your sleeve there, is that blood on your sleeves?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And my pants, my clothes, and --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Show me that flag. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The flag, that was a flag I was holding the whole time and this is -- how the flag ended up carrying the blood of all this victim.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Welcome back, everyone.
President Barack Obama says those responsible for Monday's deadly attack on the Boston Marathon will feel the full weight of justice.
VAUSE: It has now been 12 hours since the double bombing and authorities, they're on the look out for someone described as a darker skinned or black male with a possible foreign accent. CNN is told the man wearing a sweatshirt was seen with a black backpack, trying to get into a restricted area about five minutes before the first of the two explosions. Three people were killed in Monday's blast including an 8-year-old boy. More than 140 were injured.
LEMON: I want you take you through the marathon route to show you exactly where the attack happened. The race started off in Hopkinton and made its way into the denser areas of Boston and it ended in Copley Square, the heart of the city. The first bomb exploded right next to the finish line, then 12 seconds later, the second bomb went off just down the street.
Officials say the explosions were about 50 to 100 yards apart. The blast hit nearly two hours after the first runners crossed the finish line.
VAUSE: There in opposite (INAUDIBLE) of the barricades surrounding the finish line, Dr. Allan Panter was waiting to see his wife finish the race when the bomb went off. He was about 20 feet away from the explosion. He immediately began treating people on the street. He immediately jumped into action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ALLAN PANTER, TREATED BOMBING VICTIM: I saw at least six to seven people down next to me. They protected me from the blast. One lady expired. One lady -- one gentleman lost both his limbs. Lower extremities. And most of the injuries were lower extremities. I could not figure out why the young lady had expired. Could not find any injury on her thorax. And the other people I saw were mainly lower extremity injuries.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, the Boston Marathon was supposed to end in a celebration but turned into panic and bloodshed in a matter of moments. The attack also exposed the kindness of strangers. Those who ran toward the billowing smoke to help. Here the witnesses describe the chaotic scene following the explosions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just this huge pile of smoke and then it sounded like a huge cannon went off and then it -- another one just happened right across from us. Then it -- it was just this huge, huge explosion and there's just debris every where.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A huge explosion while we were having lunch. And everybody ran for the doors and windows and we were sheltered under tables.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The elevator -- the elevator shook the whole building. It was quite a blast. Two of them. Scared the hell out of us.
DAVIS: These explosions occurred 50 to 100 yards apart. And each seemed -- resulted in multiple casualties.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The explosion looked like it was right outside the Marathon Sports. Right by the finish line there, at the building next to it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have seen at least six people come in. You can see some of the people coming in on stretchers. They've got that shiny foil wrapped around them. Some of them I suspect are runners, some of them may have just been bystanders. We don't really know because this all happened so soon. The medical (INAUDIBLE) really have those foil wrapped.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Many, many people injured and those injuries are severe. But there was a lot of blood left at the scene.
JEFF CURTIS, WITNESS: We helped a lot of localities. We put -- we're picking them up, putting pressure on wounds. A lot of people were hurt and we just -- ran as fast as we could down here and get blood. They were banged up bad. Severe lacerations. Amputees. A lot of shrapnel. You know, they were pretty big explosions.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn't jump to conclusions before we have all the facts. But make no mistake, we will get to the bottom of this and we will find out who did this. We will find out why they did this. Any -- any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Top of the hour, everyone. You're watching special coverage of the terror attack in Boston. I'm Don Lemon at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
VAUSE: And I'm John Vause. We would like to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world.
LEMON: Absolutely. Well, listen, state and federal authorities looked to the public for help as they investigate a deadly terror attack in Boston.
