Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Tells Authorities Tamerlan Masterminded Boston Bombing

The remaining suspect in the Boston bombings is blaming the whole thing on the dead suspect. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been talking to authorities (or writing rather, as he can’t talk because of a g...
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Tells Authorities Tamerlan Masterminded Boston Bombing
Written by Chris Crum
  • The remaining suspect in the Boston bombings is blaming the whole thing on the dead suspect.

    Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been talking to authorities (or writing rather, as he can’t talk because of a gunshot wound to the throat), and says that his brother, the late Tamerlan Tsarnaev, masterminded the whole thing.

    According to a report from CNN, Tsarnaev told authorities that there is not any international terrorist group involved, and that his brother orchestrated the attack. CNN’s Jake Tapper and Matt Smith report:

    Tsarnaev has conveyed to investigators that Tamerlan’s motivation stemmed from jihadist thought and the idea that Islam is under attack, and jihadists need to fight back, the source said Monday.

    The government source cautioned that the interviews were preliminary, and that Tsarnaev’s account needs to be checked out and followed up on by investigators.

    So far, officials have not found evidence that the suspects collaborated with other people on the attacks, though Tamerlan had taken a long trip to Russia last year. The details of this trip are unclear, though he had posted and taken down a YouTube video of Islamic militant Abu Dujana, who was killed in a gun battle with Russian security forces a few months after Tamerlan’s trip.

    Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was charged on Monday with one count of using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction (an improvised explosive device) against persons and property within the United States resulting in death, and one count of malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive device resulting in death. He could face, upon conviction, the death penalty or life imprisonment.

    More details about Tsarnaev’s conversations with authorities will no doubt emerge in time.

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