Coltart condemns Boston Marathon bombing

SW Radio Africa

By Violet Gonda

16 April 2013

Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister David Coltart has condemned the bombing of a sports event in the United States of America and offered profound condolences to the people of Boston, following the twin bombing Monday at the Boston Marathon.

The bombing left three people dead and at least 140 injured, including children.An eight year-old boy who was at the event to watch his father race is among those killed in the explosions.

“We condemn unreservedly those responsible for this dastardly act. Every bombing is horrific but the bombing of a sporting event is particularly callous. People participate in and watch sporting events to go beyond and above politics and all the other issues which cause so much division of the world; and so the targeting of a sporting event in this manner is particularly grotesque,” Coltart said in a statement.

The explosions detonated in quick succession near the Boston Marathon finish line transforming “a scene of athletic celebration into bloody chaos,” the Boston Globe reported.

The blast took place after the elite marathoners had completed the race but scores of others were still running.

23-year-old Ethiopia native Lelisa Desisa Benti was the men’s winner of the 117th Boston Marathon, with 32-year-old Kenyan Rita Jeptoo winning the women’s division.

No suspects have yet been arrested although US President Barack Obama, who stopped short of calling the incident a terrorist attack, vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn’t jump to conclusions before we have all the facts. But, make no mistake; we will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this, we will find out why they did this,” said Obama. “Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice.”

Ironically the race had started with a minute of silence for the 26 Sandy Hook massacre victims who were gunned down last year at an elementary school by a teenager in Newtown, Connecticut. Some of the victims’ families had also taken part in the marathon.