<p>I have a friend who came to this country at about the same age that the younger brother is this did, from the former Yugoslavia. She remembers her days over there as sunny, happy, warm with lots of family and friends. Things were quite different for her and the family here in the US. They were one of the lucky ones as her father was a professor of some renown and a major university sponsored him so he arrived to a good paying job and there were those who helped them find housing and get started. Still, it was a huge change from their lives in Europe, and not necessarily an improvement for the mom and kids. Turned out later, she tells me that her father was terribly shortchanged in pay as well, and what they were living on was not much money, especially for a family coming with absolutely nothing. The mother could not find work, though she was university educated–her English was not so good. They bought in a not so nice area, and not knowing anyone and having to learn a whole new way of life took heavy tolls on everyone, particularly the mother who fell into a deep depression and possibly psychosis.</p>
<p>A big problem was that they had such high expectations. They truly believed that the roads were paved with gold and a wonderful easy materialistic lifestyle was right there for them and everyone. The father had visited the US as guests of universities and had been treated like royalty at such visits,–the mother had so accompanied him on some, and I think that the family believed they would be stepping right into the life styles of their hosts who were in fact the father’s peers academically. But we all know it isn’t so easy. </p>
<p>There is no excuse for anyone to do what these brothers did, but I can see where and how they could become increasingly disenchanted by life and the turn of events here in this country. No money, and the opportunities shrinking down. The young man was likely on the brink of flunking out. He was probably there on PELL, Staffords (with the $4K supplement), some part time work. Yes, on government aid as he was fully eligible and entitled to get until…he should flunk out or do something terribly criminal. From everything said and read about him, he seems to be pretty much a typical college student, who was struggling with academics and life as a young adult, and his morals just did not serve him well. Too dangerous to let out anyone like this, but it is impossible, IMO to be able to pick out who would be so weak/evil to go down the path he did.</p>
<p>The older one clearly had stronger ties to the old country and with his self importance being eroded, and his values clearly lacking, went to the dark side. My guess is that he found him self pulled into some groups that subsidized his trip and stay overseas last year and that is where he got his training to pull of what he did. Probably helped with the rent too, though I can tell you that our church some years ago sponsored families and helped them quite a bit in making the transitions and expenses of emigrating to the US. I have my opinions about that as I have experience and knowledge in these projects, but that is a subject for another time. The older brother found something that fed his ego after life pretty much kicked his backside here.</p>
<p>For whatever reason, the mentally ill seem to indulge in fantasies of being government agents of sort, I have noticed. The stories are either that they are secret government agents or the government is out after them. I’ve seen this so many times, and wonder why that is. Someone who is not so stable is ripe fruit for the picking by these terrorist groups looking to recruit and they are on the lookout for the signs. Stuck in mud in terms of life goals and accomplishments, short on money, and depressed, feeling emasculated. Yes, I can see how it would happen. </p>
<p>I hope that the younger brother can identify who his brother’s contacts are I get a distinct feeling that he was brought on board with all of this by an older brother who was much admired by him and who was a semi celebrity of sorts with his Golden Gloves bouts. Life was probably not going well for the young man, and parents were gone, just the older brother there as he was probably on his way out of college. </p>
<p>The older brother did have a job as a life guard at a pool at Harvard University. But I have no doubts that he had other money sources as well. That he was visited by government agents and questioned is not a big deal, IMO–where I live that happens to any number of Muslims and anyone who is reported to be frequenting certain organizations, websites or people of question. We have friends who have last names that are flags, and they have been under question, and have to watch what they say, with whom they mingle, what websites they frequent for that reason. For a number of reasons, the first few years I was in this country, I was given advice on certain things that were wise to avoid, that college students and young people who are native to the US don’t think twice about doing, and do so with wild abandon. So that he was “interviewed” is not an unusual thing, given that he is Muslim and that he came from a part of the world that is not exactly known for it peacefulness. The request was probably from his own country of origin. Happens all of the time, believe me. </p>
<p>So, to me, the reasons are all there as to what happened. How to prevent and early id these things are important. Very important. They are not so different from many immigrants that would not and will no do any thing like this, immigrants who will contribute to this country’s growth and become members of our own families. It’s the differentiation that needs to be done.</p>
<p>But the immediate concern is getting info on others here in the US who would likely do something like these two did. If they can get any info from the young man in custody that could shut down any of this, it would be a major victory, and I am more concerned about that than punishing the young man. He can not be let loose after showing what he is capable of doing. </p>
<p>However, it is possible that he was not aware of what was going down at the Marathon, and was too cowardly to come forth when he realized what he and his brother wrought. Again, I am not excusing his participation and his lack of coming forth, and believe that he is not fit to be permitted to live among us as he cannot be trusted, but there is some doubt in my mind that he willfully and knowingly bombed the Marathon. When questioned, some more info on that will come out, I’m sure.</p>