Pentagon chief calls Boston attack 'act of terror '

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Tuesday that the
deadly twin bombings at the Boston Marathon finish line amounted to
"cruel act of terror" and vowed that those who are responsible will be
brought to justice. Testifying on Capitol Hill, Hagel was the first
Obama administration official to refer to terror or terrorism after
the bombings Monday killed three and wounded more than 140 people
Monday afternoon. President Barack Obama, in his own brief statement
at the White House late Monday, made no mention of terrorists or
terrorism as a possible cause of the bombings. A White House official
speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still
unfolding did say the attack was being treated as an act of terrorism.
Hagel said any event in which explosive devices are used is clearly an
act of terror. "As the president said yesterday, we still do not know
who did this or why and a thorough investigation will have to
determine whether it was planned and carried by a terrorist group,
foreign or domestic," Hagel told the House Appropriations defense
subcommittee. "It's important not to jump to conclusions before we
have all the facts, but as the White House said last night, 'Any event
with multiple explosive devices, as this appears to be, is clearly an
act of terror and will be approached as an act of terror.'" Hagel
mentioned the Pentagon's connection to the race, with many in the
defense community participating in the race and commended the quick
work of the Massachusetts National Guard to assist after the
explosions. Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, also praised the National Guard. Dempsey was testifying with
Hagel. Hagel said the thoughts and prayers of those at the Pentagon
are with the people of Boston. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio,
also referenced terrorism. "You can describe it in a lot of different
ways, but it was a terrorist attack of some sort. ... There's just not
enough information at this time," Boehner told reporters Tuesday at a
news conference. "We just don't know enough about it, but I have no
doubt that we will. ... The president and I had this conversation last
evening. He'd like to know more, I'd like to know more. The American
people would like to know more. Unfortunately we don't, but I am
confident that we are going to get to the bottom of this." At the
House hearing, Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Fla., pressed Hagel about
Pentagon plans to disband one of the civil support teams that
responded to the attack in Boston. Young said Congress was notified in
a March 29 letter that the two teams, one based in New York, the other
in Florida, would be disestablished. Hagel insisted that the teams
would remain and said the budget proposal that the administration
submitted last week included money for the teams.