Chechyn's are generally Muslim, but their issues with Russia are political

[brooklynite]

They aren't as far as I know Islamist Al-Quaeda types.

[Roland99]

1. Fox types going apeshit over the possibility they were Muslim

[Recursion]

4. Assuming their names as reported are right, they were (nt)

[cali]

2. Overwhelmingly Sunni, lots of Sufis

but yes, there have been a-Q connections to groups in Chechnya- not that that means anything at this point.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13171399

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0907/p01s02-woeu.html

[Recursion]

3. Bin Laden specifically called out the Beslan attackers for praise

Whether that feeling is reciprocated, I'm not sure, but there have been known Chechyan affiliates of AQ.

[Spider Jerusalem]

5. The suspect at large...

has been identified as one Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. A search for people of that name in Cambridge MA shows him as a student at Rindge and Latin School, on the wrestling team, and winner of a scholarship. If the two are brothers...then the deceased suspect is, very probably, one Tamerlan Tsarnaev, age 26 (link from what is I guess their mother's notFacebook page). The only thing I can find for him anywhere via Google is this. Definitely a Muslim although one can't say at this point if that's his motivation.

[Recursion]

6. Also, most Muslim extremists' issues with us are political

They don't actually care that we believe in a trinity, you know.

[ck4829]

7. Their 'president', Ramzan Kadyrov, is a warlord and he murders dissidents

May not be religious, but may be nationalistic.

Even though he says his private army, the Kadyrovites, have disbanded, the 'former' soldiers now have APCs and bigger guns.

He also has the support of Putin. If there was any organization to this attack, it might be him. He is ruthless enough to do it.

[JCMach1]

8. a number have worked with Al Quaeda over the years...

so yeah... there's your connection

[reformist2]

9. Terrorism seems to be like a cancer - it's not like you can reason it out.

[Recursion]

10. It works

We praise the peacemakers, but I'm more pessimistic: you don't get Sinn Fein without an IRA, and you don't get an ANC without an MK.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. Chechans were well-represented within al Qaeda

Chechans with experience in the Russian war were experienced fighters in Afghanistan.

These guys have for sure Muslim names. Whether they were radicalized al Qaeda remains to be seen, but there has been plenty of connection between Chechan radicals and al Qaeda.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. And considering how close allies that the US is with Russia, attacking Boston makes perfect sense