BOSTON, April 23 (UPI) — Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev blamed his dead older brother for being behind the deadly bomb attacks, a U.S. government source told CNN.
Tsarnaev, charged Monday with using a weapon of mass destruction that resulted in three deaths and more than 170 injuries, also said he and his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, were not involved with any international terror groups, the network reported.
The New York Times separately quoted law enforcement officials as saying Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, still lying badly wounded in a Boston hospital bed, admitted he helped lay the bombs.
The newspaper said he also told investigators he and his brother acted alone and said he knew of no other plots and no other bombs that had not been detonated.
The early interviews with Tsarnaev indicated the two brothers fit the profile of self-radicalized jihadis, the government source told CNN.
The younger brother told investigators his brother — killed early Friday — wanted to defend Islam from attack, CNN cited its source as saying.
The charges were conveyed to Tsarnaev in his hospital room in the intensive care ward of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where he is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds sustained during his capture last week.
His bedside initial court appearance was conducted by U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler.
Tsarnaev was able to respond to inquiries, nodding yes and at one point saying, “No,” a transcript of the hearing indicated.
At the end of the session, Bowler said: “At this time, at the conclusion of the initial appearance, I find that the defendant is alert, mentally competent and lucid. He is aware of the nature of the proceedings.”
If convicted, Tsarnaev faces the death penalty or life behind bars.
His next hearing was set for May 30, court officials said.
His public defender had no immediate comment.
Copyright 2013 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).