Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev charged
Updated
Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction and could face the death penalty if convicted, the US Department of Justice said.
Tsarnaev, 19, also has been charged with one count of malicious destruction of property by means of deadly explosives, the department said in a statement.
He was arraigned in his hospital bed, where he remains in serious condition.
If the teen, a naturalised US citizen of Chechen descent, is convicted of the federal charges over last week's twin marathon blasts which left three dead and 180 wounded, he could be sentenced to jail time - or to death.
A first hearing in the US federal court has been scheduled for May 30.
"We've once again shown that those who target innocent Americans and attempt to terrorise our cities will not escape from justice," US attorney-general Eric Holder said.
The unsealing of the federal charges against Tsarnaev, who suffered a gunshot wound to the throat after being captured on Saturday (AEST), came as White House spokesman Jay Carney said he would not be deemed an "enemy combatant."
"We will prosecute this terrorist through our civilian system of justice," Mr Carney said, after some Republicans had said Tsarnaev should have the same status as the "War on Terror" detainees held at Guantanamo.
"The system has repeatedly proven that it can successfully handle the threat we continue to face," he said, adding that US law forbids trying citizens in military courts.
Tsarnaev was captured after a massive manhunt that virtually shut down Boston and its suburbs.
His brother and alleged accomplice Tamerlan, 26, had been killed in a chaotic overnight shootout with police.
It was still unclear if the younger Tsarnaev's severe throat injury came at the hands of police or was self-inflicted in a suicide attempt.
He is reportedly unable to speak but is communicating with authorities in writing.
More to follow.
AFP
Comments
Post a Comment