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Boston Bomb Suspects' Parents Blame America: "I'm Sure My Kids Were Not Involved"
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 25, 2013
Modified Apr 25, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 25, 2013
Modified Apr 25, 2013
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As details continue to emerge about Boston bomb suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (like their alleged desire to hit NYC next), their parents spoke at a press conference today—and decried the investigation, accusing U.S. authorities of setting their sons up. Their mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, also regretted their time in the U.S., "Yes, I would prefer not to live in America now. Like, why did I even go there — why?"
Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, are accused of planting bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The April 15 incident killed three and injured at over 200 people. The brothers, who moved to the United States as children from Chechnya, were chased by police last Thursday, resulting in the death of Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was apprehended on Friday night after a day-long manhunt.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva spoke at a press conference in Dagestan, a southern Russian province, and was emotional while discussing what she claimed was video of her older son's capture, "He was alive. Why did they need to kill him? Why not send him to Guantánamo or whatever? Why did they kill him? Why did they have to kill him? They got him alive. He was in their hands."
She also said that her family should have stayed in their native Dagestan, "You know, my kids would be with us, and we would be, like, fine... I thought America is going to, like, protect us, our kids, it's going to be safe... America took my children away from me."
Father Anzor Tsarnaev is coming to the United States soon, explaining, "I am going there to see my son and bury my older one. I have no bad thoughts, I'm not planning any bombings, I don't want to do anything. I'm not offended by anyone. I want to know the truth, what happened. I want to work it out."
Tsarnaeva also wondered if the bombings were real, suggesting that the blood at the finish line was paint, "That's what I want to know, because everybody's talking about it — that this is a show, that's what I want to know... There is a lot that is unexplained."
The grieving mother also said she told the FBI, when they questioned her about Tamerlan Tsarnaev's possible radicalization, "I didn’t see any reason to worry." As for authorities' claims that her sons were responsible for the tragedy, she said, "I don’t believe it, and I won’t believe it." She emphasized, "I am sure that my kids were not involved in anything."
Tagged
boston
boston bombing
boston marathon
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev
tamerlan tsarnaev
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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