Obama’s full speech following bombing suspect arrest

U.S. President Barack Obama made an address Friday night following the arrest of the Boston bombing suspect. Here is the full transcript of his address:

And bravery over five long days and tonight because of their determined efforts,   we’ve closed an important chapter in this tragedy.  I’ve been briefed earlier this evening by FBI director Muller  after the attacks on Monday,  I directed the full resources of the federal government to made available to help state and local authorities  and to increase security as needed.  Over the past week,  close coordination between federal,  state and local officials sharing information moving swiftly to  track down leads has  been critical to this effort.   They all worked as they should as a team.  And we are extremely grateful for that.  We owe a tremendous  death of gratitude to all our outstanding  law enforcement  professionals.  These men and women get up every day, they put on that uniform, they risk their lives to keep us safe.  And as this week showed, they don’t always know what to expect.   So our thoughts are with those who were wounded in the pursuit of the suspects.   And we pray for their full recovery.
We also send our prayers  to the Coyer family.  Who grieve the loss of their son and their brother Shawn.  He was born to be a police officer said this chief at MIT.    He was just 23 years old.  And his family has said, he died bravely, in the line of duty,  doing what he committed his life to doing.  Serving and protecting others.  So we are grateful to him.  Obviously tonight they are a lot of unanswered questions.  Among them, why did young men who grew up and studied here, as part of our communities and our country, resort to such violence.  How did they plan and carry out these attacks and did they have any help.

The families of those killed so senselessly, deserve answers.  The wounded some of  whom now have to learn how to stand, walk and live again, deserve answers…

So I have instructed the FBI and the department of homeland security and our intelligence community to continue to deploy all the necessary resources to support the investigation to collect intelligence and protect our citizens.  We will determine what happened.   We will investigate any association these two terrorists may have had and we will continue to do what we have to do to keep our people safe.  One thing that we do know, Whatever hateful agenda that drove these men to such heinous acts,  will not, cannot prevail.  Whatever they  thought that they could ultimately achieve, they’re already failed.  They failed because the people of Boston refused to be intimidated.  They failed because as Americans, we will not be terrorized.  They failed because we will not

We will not waiver from character, and the compassion  and  the values that define us as a country.  Nor will be break the bonds that define us as Americans.  That American spirit includes remaining true to the diversity that makes us strong.  Like no other nation in the world.

In this age of instant reporting, tweets and blogs there is a temptation to latch onto to any piece of information sometimes to jump to conclusions.  But when a tragedy like this happens with public safety at risk and the stakes so high,  it’s important that we do this right.  That’s why we have investigations, That’s why we relentlessly gather the facts.  That’s why we have courts.  And that’s why we take care not to rush to judgment.  It’s not about the motivation of these suspects and certainly it’s not about a group of people.   After all one of the things that make America one of the greatest countries on earth, but also one of the things that make Boston such a great city.  We welcome people from around the world.  People of every faith and people of every ethnicities from every corner of the globe.

So as we continue to learn more and how this tragedy happened, lets sustain this spirit.  Tonight we think of all the wounded, still struggling to recover, certainly we think of Krystal Campbell.  We think of  Lingzi Lu.   We think of little Martin Richard.  They’re lives reflected all the diversity and beauty of our country and they were sharing a great American experience together.

Obama Talking about the Explosion in West, Texas

Finally, let me say that even though so much attention has been focused on the tragic events in Boston,  understandably. We have also seen a close knit community in Texas devastated by a terrible explosion in Texas.  And I want them to know that they are not forgotten.  Our thoughts and our prayers are with the people of West Texas where so many people lost their lives.  Some lost their homes.  Many are injured.  Many are still missing.  I’ve talked to Governor Perry and Mayor Tommy Muska  And I pledge that the people of West will have the resources that they need  to recover and rebuild.  And I want everyone in Texas to know that we will follow through.  With those commitments.  All in all this has been a tough week.  But we have seen the character of our country once more.  And as president I am confident that we have the courage and the resilience and the spirit to overcome these challenges and to go forward as one nation under god, and indivisible under liberty and God.  Thank you very much everybody.