Congress waits for information on marathon bombings

WASHINGTON, April 17 (UPI) -- Information about the Boston Marathon bombings is still so sketchy that Congress is unable to come up with any response, a congressman says.

"We don't know right now enough information to make any determination whatsoever," Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., told The Hill. "We're getting the scientific information now, to find out who made the bomb, what type of bomb, and then the investigation starts."

Two bombs that may have been concealed in trash cans near the finish line in Boston's Back Bay killed three people Monday afternoon and injured more than 175. Two days later, there has been no word on who might have been behind the bombings or on whether it was an organized group or what Ruppersberger called a "lone wolf."

Immediately after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Congress took action, most notably with the Patriot Act. But in that case, by the end of the day, the groups and individuals behind the attacks -- al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and a group of hijackers loyal to him -- were known at least in broad outline.

Rep. Rich Nugent, R-Fla., a longtime police officer in Illinois and Florida who served as sheriff of Hernando County for 10 years, is also waiting for more information. Nugent is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

"You don't want to get ahead of yourself on this stuff, and everybody wants to but they really shouldn't," he said.