Crime & Safety

Boston Police: Three New Bombing Suspects in Custody

Officials stress there is no threat to the public, details still emerging.

Boston Police announced a major new development in the Boston Marathon bombing case Wednesday morning. According to the department, there are three new suspects in custody.

Boston Police tweeted the news just after 11 a.m. Wednesday. There were no further details, though the police said they would offer more information soon.

There is no additional information being released at the moment. BPD said additional details will be provided when they become available. 

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Police stressed there was no immediate threat to the public.

UPDATES BELOW

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4:40 p.m. Attorneys for the three suspects all gave brief statements outside of the courtroom. Each stressed that his client cooperated with the investigation. An attorney for Kadyrbayez denied that his client recognized Tsarnaev immediately, as the complaint alleged, and that he did not know the bacpack and its contents had any evidentiary value.

4:21 p.m. UMAss Dartmouth has relased a statement clarifying the student status of the three suspects:

  • Azamat Tazhayakov is currently enrolled, but has been suspended pending the outcome of the case.
  • Dias Kadyrbayez is not currently enrolled.
  • Robel Phillipos is not currently enrolled.

4:05 p.m. Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov waived bail and will appear in court again on May 14. Both face five years in jail and potential fine of $250,000. Tazhayakov appeared in court in black t-shirt and jeans, while Kadyrbayev was wearing a grey pullover sweater. Both have been in federal custody since April 20.

Robel Phillipos also declined bail and will appear in court again Monday. He faces eight years in jail and a $250,000 fine. Phillipos was wearing a striped t-shirt.

All three men said they can pay for their own lawyers.

During Phillipos's hearing, Judge Bowler scolded the defendant for not paying attention, saying "I suggest you pay attention to me rather than looking down."

*****

3:45 p.m. A New Hampshire fireworks store owner said he is sure she sold fireworks to Tamerlan Tsarnaev before the Boston marathon bombing. The fireworks sold in February, however, did not have enogh powder to create the size of explosion seen at the marathon finish line. 

*****

3:31 p.m. The three suspects found a backpack filled with hollowed-out fireworks and "freaked out" when they concluded that Tsarnaev was one of the marathon bombers, according to the criminal complaint filed today.

*****

2:40 p.m. In the criminal complaint released today, special agent Scott Cieplik claims suspects Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov concealed, and later destroyed, a laptop and a backpack filled with fireworks.

Robel Phillipos, meanwhile, is being charged with lying to federal officials.

*****

2:15 p.m. The suspects are now slated to appear before Magistrate Bowler at 3:30 p.m. You can read the full criminal complaints on Patch, which are uploaded to this page.

*****

2:05 p.m. From U.S Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office: 

"Dias Kadyrbayev, 19, and Azamat Tazhayakov, 19, both of New Bedford were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to obstruct justice by conspiring to destroy, conceal and cover up tangible objects belonging to suspected Marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, namely a laptop computer and backpack containing fireworks. A third man, Robel Phillipos, 19, of Cambridge, was charged with willfully making materially false statements to federal law enforcement officials during a terrorism investigation. According to the affidavit accompanying the complaint, Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov are both nationals of Kazakhstan who entered the United States on student visas. Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and $250,000 fine. Phillipos faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine."

*****

1:56 p.m. The U.S. Attorney's office just tweeted that the three men arrested will be charged with conspiring to obstruct justice and making false statements.

*****

12:40 p.m. Boston.com says the two of the three suspects in custody were in court earlier this morning facing immigration charges.  The students in court this morning were Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov of Kazakhstan.

*****

12:30 p.m. U.S. Attorney's office representative Christina DiIorio-Sterling told reporters outside the courtroom that the charges are currently sealed. Once unsealed, reporters will be allowed into a courtroom for the complaint hearing, though no cameras will be allowed.

*****

12:25 p.m. Governor Deval Patrick told Boston Globe reporter Michael Levinson that the three suspects did not participate in the bombing, but may have committed crimes after the fact

*****

12:09 p.m. There is a heavy security presence around the Moakley Federal Courthouse right now amid reports the three suspects are being transfered there to appear in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings.

*****

12 p.m. WCVB is reporting that the complaint against the three is sealed, but the three allegedly helped bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarneav remove items from his dorm room at UMass Dartmouth. ABC News' Brian Ross said he spoke with a lawyer connected to the case. According to Ross, the three removed a backpack filled with fireworks from Tsarneav's dorm room at the suspect's request sometime after the bombing. 


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