#Freejahar Hashtag Brings Together Skeptics of the Mainstream Boston Marathon Attack Narrative

Credit: Aaron "tango" Tang/wikimedia

Over at Wired's Danger Room blog Spencer Ackerman has written an interesting piece on the #freejahar hashtag that has emerged on twitter, which has been used by those who think that (despite the growing evidence to the contrary) Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was not involved in the Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured over 180 more. 

It was announced today that Tsarnaev will not be treated as an enemy combatant. He has been charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction.

It should not be surprising that skepticism about Tsarnaev's involvement has been expressed by his mother and by at least one of his friends. It must be shocking to find out that one of your immediate family members or friends was involved in murder, and it is understandable that denial would be one of the first reactions.

However, the #freejahar hashtag is being used by people that (presumably without any forensic training) have taken it upon themselves to declare that Tsarnaev is being set up, posting pictures that supposedly exculpate Tsarnaev of any wrongdoing.

Ackerman notes that the #freejahar hashtag is mostly being used by those who are not actively celebrating the attack, and that the Boston Marathon attack has been treated with caution in extremist message boards. 

It is not only on twitter that conspiracies have been published. Over at Alex Jone's Infowars site there is a far-fetched theory was published that involves "contractors" and their supposed involvement in the Boston Marathon attack.

The suspects of the Boston Marathon attack are the most interesting part of the whole event. After the bombing there was speculation that whoever was responsible for the attack was going to turn out to be either Tea Party tax protesters or a Saudi national. As far as I can remember (please correct in comments if I am wrong) there was no speculation that young Chechens would be involved. Why the American government would be involved in orchestrating the murder of innocent people in an American city so that the blame would be put on two Chechens, whose quarrel is with the Russians, has yet to be explained adequately by those denying Tsarnaev's alleged involvement in the bombing. 

Read more of Reason.com's coverage of the Boston Marathon attack here. 

Comments

[Gladstone]

The best part about being a conspiracy theorist is that you can just make shit up and have no need to prove it since the Gov covers everything up.

[Pro Libertate]

If the government were as efficient as conspiracy theorists make it out to be, it would have flying robots of death.

[Brandybuck]

What do you think those black helicopters are?

[Gladstone]

flying robots of death

You mean like Drones?

And how do I know you are not a disinfo agent covering up the real conspiracy with your fake conspiracy nonsense.

[Pro Libertate]

Drones aren't robots. Not really. Unless they are.

[Almanian!]

The robots are flyin' the drones, man! DON'T YOU SEE IT?!

[Pro Libertate]

No, it can't be true!

[Presedinte PL Romania]

You all got it wrong. They all have reptilian heads.

[db]

Technically drones could be considered to be cyborgs--humans enhanced with capabilities through use of mechanical and robotic means. That there is a wireless connection between the human and the robot seems to be the distinguishing factor.

[IamNotEvil]

"This place is an X-file, wrapped in a cover-up and deep-fried in a paranoid conspiracy."

Or monsters.

[Austrian Anarchy]

Apparently you cannot see through their cloaking technology.

[Almanian!]

You're just making that up.

I'll bet the government paid the Chechen government to get you to say this.

You're not folling anyone, Gladstone.

[Gladstone]

No the government paid the Chechen government to get you to say that you disinfo agent.

[Almanian!]

Whoa!

Mind. Blown.

[Suthenboy]

There is a Chechen govt?

[Almanian!]

Oh, like YOU'RE not on their payroll?

Nice try, but we're on to you, Sb.

Or should I say - Cousin Tsarnaev?!

[Pro Libertate]

It takes some real effort to make this into a conspiracy, and, without that, the guilt of the brothers is pretty clear.

[Paul.]

There has to be a conspiracy theory, otherwise, this wouldn't be Amurrica.

Boston troofers, here they come!

[Austrian Anarchy]

As long as there is a conspiracy industry, there will always be a new conspiracy theory. The consumer drives the train.

[Brandybuck]

The government has arrested a person in connection to the bombing. As committed anarchotards and anti-gubment infoworriers, we know that everything the government does is evil. Therefore this person is innocent!

[Emmerson Biggins]

I wish I could say there was a deeper or satisfying explanation. But I think that about sums it up.

[Paul.]

Why the American government would be involved in orchestrating the murder of innocent people in an American city so that the blame would be put on two Chechens, whose quarrel is with the Russians, has yet to be explained adequately by those denying Tsarnaev's alleged involvement in the bombing.

Why a kid who grew up in the states but had Chechen roots would blow up Americans along a Boston Marathon route because of a quarrel with the Russians has yet to be explained adequately.

Sorry, just had to throw out that head scratcher.

[Pro Libertate]

I figure it was just generic radical Muslim distaste for the United States.

[Almanian!]

They hate us. For our freedumz, you know?

[Pro Libertate]

I wasn't going there, of course, but it's beginning to sound like the older brother was picking up that crap.

[Paul.]

The older brother seemed to have some regret and remorse, if the reports of him calling his Uncle, asking for forgiveness are true-- and his nervous demeanor (compared to the 19 yo) are accurate.

[Pro Libertate]

God, you'd hope so. All of those maimed people and a dead kid.

[Nazdrakke]

Um, cause, like envy, you learn to hate what you see every day?

[SugarFree]

Was she a big girl, Clarice? Roomy through the hips?

[Gray Ghost]

It puts the links in the post or else it gets the hose again.

[Loki]

Why a kid who grew up in the states but had Chechen roots would blow up Americans along a Boston Marathon route because of a quarrel with the Russians has yet to be explained adequately.

Wild Assed Guess: Maybe while on his trip to Chechnya last year Tamerlin Tsarnaev was approached by some Al Quaeda types who told him "go blow up some Americans and maybe we'll help out you Chechen's in your fight against the Russians." Like I said, WAG, but at this point what isn't?

[Not an Economist]

One theory I've heard is that Chechen rebels/terrorists got pissed at us when we didn't support them or their tactics.

This could be blowback for that.

[Gladstone]

Blowback for not intervening? That'll put Ron Paul in a quandary.

[Calidissident]

According to their uncle, this didn't have anything to do with the situation in Chechnya

[Fist of Etiquette]

I was taught early on by The X-Files that anything's possible. But if the Boston Marathon attack is big enough to give special dispensation for the public use of the f-b*mb, then I think it's big enough to silence any skeptics with legal means. ATTACK WATCH!

[Jerry on the boat]

Clearly this was the work of ex-KGB in order to prevent a U.S.-led invasion of Syria.

[Aresen]

I thought it was to distract from Obama mating with a Space Alien in Area 51.

[Almanian!]

Well, let's make sure he's tortured good and hard. That should help clarify whether or not there's a conspiracy. Right?

[NeonCat]

So, a Girls marathon, then?

[Almanian!]

Truly, you are worse than Hitler.

Worse. Than. Hitler.

[Adam]

I'm guessing some Russians were wondering if some extremist Muslims from their neck of the woods might've been involved. Ya know, the one they suggested we investigate. Just a thought.

[Almanian!]

Ya know, the one they suggested we investigate.

You mean the ones the FBI DID investigate.

Yer doin' a heckuva job, FBI'ers!

[SugarFree]

Personally, I'm enjoying the agonizing death of quaint notions like "truth" and "facts." It's good for us to realize finally that all is subjective narrative. Get comfortable in your monad, yo.

[Pro Libertate]

It's the solipsization of the U.S. Soon, each of us will doubt the very existence of everyone else.

[NeonCat]

Wow, it's like I'm reading my mind!

[Archduke Pantsfan]

We're all the same person.

[SugarFree]

Better radical solipsism than the bloody ruin partisan "consensus reality" requires to satisfy the insecure.

[Pro Libertate]

Well, it's becoming clear to me that all of this groupthink is my imagination trying to conform all of you figments to my way of thinking.

[Almanian!]

Do you know
where you're going to?
Do you like the things
that life is showing you?
Where are you going to?
Do you know?

/Diana Ross

[Pro Libertate]

I'm shocked that my mind would go there. What was I thinking?

[$park?]

Soon?

[Nazdrakke]

So true.

[CatoTheElder]

It's all about which narrative is to be believed.

"Truth" has nothing to do with it. "Facts" are interesting, however, to the extent that they substantiate the narrative.

[NeonCat]

I should think the footage posted in the morning links of heavily armed police surrounding private homes in Watertown, bringing citizens out at gunpoint and searching those homes without a warrant or permission is the real reason for the conspiracy. The cops needed an excuse for a house to house illegal search (to find what only they know) and these almost certainly innocent* brothers gave it to them.

*Sarcasm

[Archduke Pantsfan]

Did the police find any other illegal activity while they were doing that "search"? Any grow-ops?

[Almanian!]

"That's classified. Next question?"

[Robert]

Do we know that they didn't have permission for all the searches? I'd say there's a pretty good chance that every single person-in-charge-of-residence gave them permission, just as when in England every single residence of a neighborhood volunteered their DNA to solve a rape case.

[The Late P Brooks]

I went to town earlier to run some errands and grab some breakfast. I picked up a newspaper off the counter, and surprise! there was an article hot off the AP wire about how outraged the Newtown Families are over the Senate gun votes. There was a quote from some woman about how horrible and cowardly those guys are, because they did not DO SOMETHING about the the people shot in that school.

These people want vengeance; nothing more, nothing less. They'll never get satisfaction from Lanza, so they are just lashing out wildly. Somebody must be punished. That somebody is me, and every other law abiding gun owner.

I didn't shoot any of those kids, lady. Fuck off.

[Almanian!]

Show us on the AR-15 diagram where the gun grabber touched you...

[NeonCat]

It was on the thingy that goes up, wasn't it?

[NeonCat]

Can't we all just promise not to shoot any of the remaining Newtown kids? Shouldn't that be good enough for those parents?

[Almanian!]

I'll probably go to hell for laughing out loud at the comment....

[Greg]

I laughed too. Ugh, I hope we don't have to room together down there though.

[Joe M]

After the bombing there was speculation that whoever was responsible for the attack was going to turn out to be either Tea Party tax protesters or a Saudi national.

Okay class, does everyone see how fucked up this is? Can we all remember that there have been no shootings or bombings conducted in the name of the Tea Party? But if they keep being mentioned as "speculative" perpetrators, eventually people are going to forget they weren't involved and start thinking the Tea Party is a violent movement.

[Pro Libertate]

There's something I do believe. Take advantage of the "all eyes" when the story is breaking and make absurd claims to poison your opposition. The media did it, and many in the government did it.

[Almanian!]

Every time the Tea Party is mentioned on the news, I picture my aunt and uncle - both in their 70's. And old Frank who retired when I was in Cleveland.

Cause those are the people I know who actually attend Tea Parties. They're about as radical as a warm glass of milk before bed.

Yeah - they're behind the bombings and shootings and general mayhem.

[I Dug It]

Alex Jone's Infowars site

Who is this Alex Jone of whom you speak?

[CatoTheElder]

Inconveniences like habeas corpus, due process, and other constitutional protections of the accused are important to dispel contending narratives touted on freejahar and by the likes of Alex Jones.

Unless such protections are exceptionally inconvenient, the government will honor them.

But, make no mistake, the government still has no compunction about disregarding "constitutional rights" that it finds overly burdensome, unless there is some offsetting benefit to the government.

[Enough About Palin]

"As far as I can remember (please correct in comments if I am wrong) there was no speculation that young Chechens would be involved."

Someone HyR commenter's wife said Chechens immediately (I forget who).

[Almanian!]

But she's a Russian, so it didn't count.

[Robert]

Stopped Clock Theory, Robert Ringer probably would call it.

[The Late P Brooks]

I can't even remember where I saw it, but this morning there was something about how the bombs they used were not actually something somebody with rudimentary google-fu would be very likely to come up with.

But that was probably a lie.

[Pro Libertate]

I sure hope there's no tie to Chechnya itself. We don't need another war or to be supporting some Russian crap there.

[tarran]

Have you ever mucked about with something that where something irreversable and complicated had to be triggered somehow? You have to try and test prototypes to make it work.

I would be very shocked if these guys designed and built these bombs in a vacuum. Somebody helped them either with the design or the construction.

[Pro Libertate]

Could be just Internet training, possibly with videos, or the older brother's trip overseas was what many suspect it was. Sure we'll find out soon enough.

[I Dug It]

BUT WE WON'T FIND OUT WITHOUT TORTURE!!!11!

[Pro Libertate]

That's going to be hard for them to do, now that they're trying him for crimes, rather than treating him as an enemy combatant.

If this is purely them watching some videos and reading materials on the Internet, look for more censorship attempts.

[The Late P Brooks]

Show us on the AR-15 diagram where the gun grabber touched you...

Right here, on my pendulous oversized magazine.

[Almanian!]

+30 rounds

[I Dug It]

As David Kopel says in the intro to No More Wacos (IIRC), the undisputed facts themselves are more than enough to get upset about, without making stuff up.

[The Late P Brooks]

Based strictly on what news I have been unable to avoid, neither of these two guys seems to have been overly bright. They certainly did not appear to have an exit plan. So, what the fuck?

[I Dug It]

Maybe their plan was to blow up a bunch more stuff before engaging in one final suicide mission. They just didn't count on being identified so quickly.

[Stilgar]

Is there anywhere safe from the drones?

[JeremyR]

Their exit plan was blowing up stuff until they got caught and/or killed, where they would live in paradise for eternity.

And considering the younger dude eluded the police, I think they are reasonably smart.

If not for that guy who looked in his boat, they still might not have found him.

[Tony]

It's depressing that there are message boards that are extremist relative to this one.

[Suthenboy]

What the fuck are you talking about?

[Some call me Tim?]

He's saying Infowars and the like make us seem like good apparatchiks.

[The Late P Brooks]

Stop reading Kos, and maybe your depression will abate.

[Bananafish]

Some of them are saying that no one was actually hurt, that the government used amputee actors who are military vets who pretended to be hurt, and that the explosion was more for effect than for doing actual damage. Pretty crazy. They also say that there were doubles used and that one of them was the missing person that was initially identified as the suspect was a stand-in for Dzokhar, who wasn't physically present at the marathon but was rounded up later, shot, and thrown into the boat.

Conspiracy theories are pretty entertaining; I like seeing what a paranoid mind can come up with. My favorite is the one about how absolutely nothing happened at Sandy Hook, that everyone was an actor and no one died. If you've been up for a couple of days and spend a couple of hours watching youtube videos supporting the conspiracy, as I drift off to sleep I will think, "Hmmm, maybe there's something to that." But then I wake up.

[Not an Economist]

One of my favorite lunchtime past times used to be going on the Usenet and reading alt.conspiracy and alt.conspiracy.jfk. Just knowing there were people that crazy and still functioning in normal society made my own troubles seem tame.

[Robert]

Yeah, pretty crazy...but not as crazy as that there was no explosion at all, all the supposed witnesses were shills, videos using miniatures and matte were used, etc.

[IceTrey]

This was obviously another FBI lead "terror plot" that went wrong.

[Stormy Dragon]

FREE HAT!

[Stilgar]

Much of the shock comes from the fact that the younger brother not only gave no signs of interest in terrorism but that he was every bit the typical American teen. A look at his twitter feed from the past two years shows everything from talk about school, his room being cold, waking up with morning wood to lifeguarding. Inteviews with hs wrestling team members indicate he was a leader on the team and supportive of everyone.

That his brother got him involved in this is certainly likely, but even there - how do you go from regional gold glove boxer to bomber?

The US may soon, assuming he lives, have some answers to the whys. And they may not like the answers and the possible implications on policy. I'm guessing that is more the reason why McPain and his sidekick were whining so much about military tribunal and detention. So that everything this kid says will be forever classified and never heard.

[Aresen]

If you don't like the answer, "question" him again.

[Corning]

I blame the culture of Boston and Massachusetts...it has balkanized everyone but the PC elite...often new Imergrant groups are the most effected.

Just like we saw the PC exclusive culture of Europe produce the 9/11 bombers the same thing was bound to happen with one of our more socialist exclusive cites.

It was too bad these two guys simply didn't move.

If they had moved to say Austin they would have turned out just fine.

The next time someone says the US should become more like Europe point to these two guys.

[JeremyR]

This is confusing to many in the West today, but some people actually believe in their religions.

And when you believe that your religion will reward you with everlasting paradise for killing the unbelievers, it seems like a pretty good deal.

It sounds like the older brother got involved in a radical strain of Islam, or Islamism, if you will, and there you go.

[Corning]

two Chechens, whose quarrel is with the Russians

Pretty sure the older brother was an Islamist. Religious ideology can surpass nationality...especially when that nationality is 20+ years removed.

And yes there was lots of speculation about the the bomber/bombers being Islamist before they were identified.

[WomSom]

Sometimes dude you just have to smack it good man.

http://www.Ano-Surf.tk

[Robert]

Oh. I thought it was going to be about skepticism that an explosion of any kind had occurred at the marathon. This isn't as entertaining; couldn't you scrape up any of that? We could start something if it'd help.