Could right wing extremists be responsible for the Boston attacks?

Were politically right wing extremists be to blame for the Boston terrorist attacks? As investigators cast about for clues, the curious case for homegrown suspicion is built, and some are speculating as to the source of the heinous act.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Authorities have announced that the bombs that killed 3 and injured almost 200 others were made with pressure cookers and filled with an explosive, probably gunpowder. Placed in a duffel bag, they were packed with ball bearings, pellets, and nails which had their heads clipped off.

The bombs may have been intended to maim, more than kill outright.

This has led to speculation by some that it could have been right-wing extremists who detonated the devices. The reason given by those engaging in this specualtion is the bombers did not seek to do significant damage to life and property. Admittedly it's very twisted logic, but such must be the logic of any person who would commit such a crime to begin with.

Some also point to the fact that the attack occurred on Tax Day, the official day on which most Americans must file and pay their taxes. It is the same day as the 1993 attack on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, which is also a rallying call for some considered to be right wing extremists.

Timothy McVeigh who destroyed the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995, cited the Waco raid as his motivation. McVeigh struck on April 16.

April 15 is also Patriot's Day, a state holiday in Massachusetts that commemorates the start of the American Revolution.

No known terrorist organizations have claimed responsibility for the attack, which is normally done in the aftermath of Islamst terror bombings.

Some politically right wing extremists have taken a very hostile attitude toward the Obama administration, claiming it has conducted an unpopular campaign against freedom of religion, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and other causes typically championed by those now called political conservatives. 

However, it should be clear that political conservatives are also rightly outraged and appalled at these attacks. The justified outrage runs across the political spectrum, and rightly so. Only a tiny fringe of humanity could ever look with approval on the evil which caused the Boston tragedy.

These are flimsy clues, that are at best speculative, but they are worth a moment's pause. At this time, no possible suspects should be ruled out in what is a cowardly act of terror.

Unfortunately, if we find the attack was perpetrated by Americans with an extreme politically right-wing view, we could see a politically left wing backlash that could be sharp, severe, and tragically overreaching. Of course, that would serve no useful purpose and would only divide a nation torn apart by this horrid tragedy. 

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