Washington (CNN) - The bomb attacks at the finish line of Monday's
Boston Marathon were a "heinous and cowardly act" that the FBI is
investigating as an act of terrorism, President Barack Obama said
Tuesday. "Any time bombs are used to target civilians, it is an act of
terrorism," Obama said, adding that it remained unclear who carried
out the attack and why. It was the first time the president used the
word "terror" to refer to the deadly bombs. Later in the day, Vice
President Joe Biden vowed to "get to the bottom" of Monday's terror
attack, which left three dead and scores wounded. "We don't have any
hard information yet," Biden said on his way to an event on Capitol
Hill. "But I can assure we will find out who did it and bring them to
justice." Asked whether there was a sense among investigators of
whether the attack originated from a foreign or domestic perpetrator,
Biden said, "Not yet." Obama, making his second formal statement
following Monday's blasts, said said investigators do not yet know
"who carried out this attack or why, whether it was planned and
executed by a terrorist organization foreign or domestic or was the
act of a malevolent individual." President Barack Obama receives an
update on the explosions that occurred in Boston, in the Oval Office,
April 16, 2013. Seated, from left, are: Homeland Security Secretary
Janet Napolitano; Tony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor; Jake
Sullivan, National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Attorney
General Eric Holder; Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for
Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; Chief of Staff Denis
McDonough; and FBI Director Robert Mueller. (Official White House
Photo by Pete Souza) On Monday, as details of the attack were
emerging, Obama delivered a brief statement that avoided the use of
the word "terror." He said then he had ordered the "full resources" of
the federal government to respond to the bombing. "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," he said. Any individuals or groups
responsible for the "senseless" bombing, he added, will "feel the full
weight of justice." Officials in Washington, who entered the week
prepared for battle over immigration and gun control, shifted focus
Tuesday to the aftermath of the deadly terror bombing. Obama ordered
the flag above the White House lowered to half-staff, while inside he
was huddling with top advisers, receiving the latest details on the
investigation into the attack. CNN spotted Vice President Joe Biden,
FBI Director Robert Mueller, Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland
Security Secretary Janet Napolitano headed into the White House
Tuesday morning. Other events on his schedule – including a meeting
with Sens. John McCain and Chuck Schumer on immigration reform – were
still slated to go forward. In the afternoon, Obama will honor last
year's NASCAR sprint cut champion Brad Keselowski during a ceremony on
the South Lawn. Cabinet members, along with national security and
counterterrorism staff, will convene Tuesday evening to brief the
president at the White House, though an official said this wasn't a
full Cabinet meeting. Other events in Washington were pushed aside
after Monday's bombing. A planned press conference unveiling of the
Senate's immigration bill was postponed, though the legislation was
still expected to be filed Tuesday. Another top piece of legislation –
gun control – had already been delayed in the Senate as supporters
worked to win over more votes. And two congressmen, Reps. Pete King,
R-New York, and Mike Thomas, D- California, introduced a background
checks bill identical to the Senate measure that was unveiled last
week. But a call-in event on guns sponsored by Organizing for Action,
a political group formed from Obama's presidential campaign, was
scrapped.
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