HOUSTON – Investigators in Massachusetts are making a push to gather as much home video and cell phone photographs as possible from runners and spectators.
The hope is that someone captured a clue as to the identity of the person who planted and detonated the bombs near the finish line of the Boston marathon.
According to experts Local 2 spoke with, the bombs will also be crucial evidence in helping reveal the bomb maker's identity.
"The operators are simple people, they use whatever is available," said Hanan Yadin, president of Houston based ISI LLC.
Yadin is retired from the Israeli military, he worked for the country's counter-terrorism branch and was in charge of safeguarding the country's schools
from terrorist attacks.
Yadin said the bombs do not appear to be complex and were built with components available to the public. However, Yadin said the placement of the bombs and timing of detonation indicates a high level of planning.
"They go around, they scout, they look for targets, they observe, they look for routines," said Yadin. "They, in my opinion, collected intelligence for
quite a long time."
Yadin said investigators will also been working confidential informants within multiple communities, listening for potential chatter of someone who may suspect a friend, family member or just an acquaintance was involved.
"If they knew something before, who helped him?" said Yadin.
Houston attorney and retired CIA officer David Adler said the components of the bomb can yield valuable clues.
"The forensic investigation of the bomb fragments and the materials that were used and possibly the opportunity to track down where they were bought," said Adler. "From there you start looking at potentially credit card receipts, surveillance footage from the store where it may have been bought at."