Members of law enforcement stage near the area where a suspect in a series of bombing attacks in Austin blew himself up as authorities closed in. Eric Gay / AP
Members of law enforcement stage near the area where a suspect in a series of bombing attacks in Austin blew himself up as authorities closed in. Eric Gay / AP

Texas bomber kills himself, leaving unanswered questions



The suspect in a string of deadly bombings in Austin, Texas blew himself up in his car on Wednesday morning leaving police and residents with one burning question: What was the motive that drove him to target the liberal, university city?

Two people died and at least four were wounded by bombs during the month of March, prompting a string of warnings for residents to report any suspicious packages.

Throughout the massive manhunt police said they were unable to explain the apparently random pattern of attacks.

Even as Brian Manley, the city police chief, announced that a white, male suspect had killed himself while a Swat team closed in, he said officers were no closer to understanding the motive.

“We do not understand what motivated him to do what he did, and that will be part of the continuing investigation as we try to learn more about him and to understand why he took the actions he did,” he said.

He was quickly identified as 23-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt, of Pflugerville, Texas.

Police said he was unemployed and had no criminal record.

Officers on Wednesday were searching the home where he was believed to live with two housemates.

Investigators made their breakthrough on Tuesday, when a device exploded at a shipping centre. The incident prompted detectives to search the FedEx branch it was sent from.

The evidence - gathered from witnesses and video footage - led investigators to a hotel car park in Round Rock, about 32 kilometres away.

Police and federal agents surrounded the location, said Mr Manley. However, as they waited for armoured, tactical vehicles to arrive, the suspect began to drive away in a car and officers followed.

He eventually came to a stop in a ditch.

“As members of the Austin Police Department Swat team approached the vehicle, the suspect detonated a bomb inside the vehicle, knocking one of our Swat officers back,” explained Mr Manley.

Officers said they would now be scouring his movements to identify the location where he built the bombs and any documents or social media posts that may offer an insight into his behaviour.

With so much still unknown, civilians have been warned not to drop their guard.

Fred Milanowski, who heads the Houston division of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said it was difficult to know whether the suspect was acting alone.

“We are not 100 per cent convinced there's not other devices out there,” he said. “We still want the public to be vigilant.”

President Donald Trump offered his congratulations to officers.

“AUSTIN BOMBING SUSPECT IS DEAD,” he wrote on Twitter. “Great job by law enforcement and all concerned!”

The first device exploded on 2 March, killing Anthony House, 29, at his home.

Draylen Mason, 17, died 11 days later when he picked up a package from his doorstep. His mother was also critically wounded.

A 75-year-old Hispanic woman was injured by a third device on the same day.

The pattern initially led police to believe they were dealing with a hate crime that was targeting ethnic minorities.

But on 18 March, two white men were wounded after triggering a tripwire left at the side of the road, leading officers to consider the possibility that the targets had been chosen randomly.

It prompted a desperate race to identify the person responsible before he could strike again. Some 300 officers joined a manhunt as locals grappled with why someone would want to attack a city known for its liberal politics, diverse population and booming economy.

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Read more:

Texas bombs suspect blew himself up as police closed in

Sixth reported explosion in Texas 'unrelated' to bombings

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Mr Manley spoke for many when he said the attacks felt “personal”.

Investigators got their much needed breakthrough on Tuesday. A bomb inside a package exploded in the early morning as it passed along a conveyor belt at a FedEx depot close to San Antonio and about 96 kilometres from Austin.

A second package was identified at a FedEx facility near Austin airport, offering a potential treasure trove of information – from fingerprints and DNA to components used to build the devices.

Authorities also closed off a FedEx store they believed the bomber may have used to send the bomb that exploded, searching CCTV footage and paperwork.

Until then, police said they were baffled. Officers had appealed directly to the culprit, asking him to explain his motive in the hope that a manifesto may offer clues to his identity, in much the way it had helped track down the Unabomber during the 1990s.

Scott Stewart, vice president of tactical analysis at Stratfor, a geopolitical intelligence platform, and a former federal agent who investigated the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing, said many questions remained unanswered.

“This person may be just mentally disturbed and there may be some irrational manifesto, but there could also be some political or other ideological purpose,” he said. “It’s difficult to know.”

Others said his modus operandi suggested he may have been building towards a bigger attack.

Randall Rogan, who worked with the FBI on the Unabomber case during the 1990s, said the attacker had graduated from leaving homemade bombs where they would eventually be picked up to building a device that could be sent in the mail.

“It seems that what was transpiring was a greater level of sophistication that the perpetrator was exploring and building upon the first couple of incidents, that could potentially lead to a greater, more elaborate act of violence,” he said.

Overview

Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu

Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 34

Anxiety and work stress major factors

Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.

A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.

Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.

One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.

It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."

Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.

“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi. 

“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."

Daniel Bardsley

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

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Five hymns the crowds can join in

Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday

Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir

Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium

‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song

‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar

‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion

‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope

The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’

There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia

The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ

They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars

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