Boston bombing suspects had other big bangs planned

NY Times:

Suspects in Boston Had Planned July Fourth Attack

The surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings told the F.B.I. that he and his brother had considered suicide attacks and had been influenced by the Internet sermons of Anwar al-Awlaki, according to law enforcement officials.

Apparently they couldn't wait for July and chose to bomb the marathon which probably generated more worldwide attention for their endeavors.   What seems clear is they wanted to make an anti American statement with a mass murder attack.

One of the things I have noticed about radical Islam is the proponents have no concept of non combatants.  It is like they are still operating in the pre middle ages of warfare.  They also do not understand the concept of collateral damage when attacking combatants.  These failures to comprehend modern warfare put the terrorist outside the accepted norms and makes them more brutal and more focused on murdering and maiming the innocent.