This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/6783

Boston Bomber Smiles As He Appears In Court For Pre-Trial Hearing

December 18, 2014

Bearded 'Boston bomber' Dzhokhar Tsarnaev smiles as he appears in court while one of his supporters is dragged from the room screaming 'don't kill an innocent boy'

Tsarnaev is believed to have organized the bombings at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, along with older brother Tamerlan

Appeared in federal court on Monday for pre-trial hearing attended by over a dozen survivors and victims' families

If convicted, he faces the possibility of the death penalty

Reporters in the room wrote that Tsarnaev looked and acted casual but was respectful when talking with the judge and his defense team

Woman was kicked out of the gallery for yelling 'don't kill an innocent boy'

Small group of protesters gathered outside the courthouse holding up signs in support of Tsarnaev

With wild hair and a new beard, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev appeared in court this morning for the first time in more than a year, smiling at his lawyers as he took his place before a gallery full of Boston Marathon bombing survivors and victims' families.

The emotional but brief hearing was punctuated by a woman being dragged out of the gallery screaming 'don't kill an innocent boy' and words of encouragement to the suspect in Russian.

The 21-year-old stands accused of detonating twin bombs at the marathon's finish line in April 2013, killing three and injuring more than 260, with his brother Tamerlan who was later killed in a shootout with police.

Tsarnaev wore a black sweater, white shirt and green pants to the hearing, and appeared to have healed since the last time he was seen in public. At his July 2013 arraignment, Tsarnaev's face was still battered and he was wearing a cast on his arm from injuries sustained in his dramatic arrest.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2879179/Marathon-bombing-suspect-court-Thursday.html#ixzz2X11bO2r4

By Ashley Collman for MailOnline

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Boston Bomber Appears in Court for First Time Since 2013 Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev returns to court for the first time since he was arraigned. Trial to begin in January.

Arutz Sheva Staff

Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev returned to court Thursday for the first time since he was arraigned in July 2013, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Security was tight at the federal courthouse in Boston for Tsarnaev's final pretrial conference. Tensions ran high, and one bombing victim had a testy exchange with protesters outside, the report said.

During the brief court hearing, District Court George O'Toole Jr. made no rulings, saying he would rule in writing on pending motions, including the defense's latest push to move the trial out of Boston.

David Bruck, one of Tsarnaev's lawyers, told the judge that the defense plans to file a motion to delay the trial, which is now scheduled to begin on January 5 with jury selection. Bruck did not say how long of a delay the defense will seek.

Three people were killed and more than 260 were injured when two bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 2013 marathon. Tsarnaev, who has pleaded not guilty to 30 federal charges, faces the possibility of the death penalty if he is convicted.

Tsarnaev, 21, wore a black sweater and gray trousers and had a scruffy beard and a curly hairstyle similar to the one seen in earlier photos. He smiled to his attorneys and one patted him on the arm, reported AP.

The courtroom was packed with FBI agents, police who worked on the case and more than a dozen survivors and family members.

At his last court appearance 17 months ago, Tsarnaev still bore signs of the bloody standoff with police that led to his capture and the death of his older brother, Tamerlan. His left arm was in a cast, his face was swollen and he appeared to have a jaw injury. In court Thursday, he had no visible injuries.

Tsarnaev has confirmed that his older brother Tamerlan was behind the attack and that he "wanted to defend Islam from attack."

The FBI discovered Tamerlan Tsarnaev sent text messages to his mother as early as 2011 suggesting he was willing to die for Islam.

Following the bombings, the interfaith group Americans for Peace and Tolerance said that the mosque attended by the two brothers "has a curriculum that radicalizes people."

Tsarnaev's trial is expected to last several months, and seating a jury alone could take several weeks to a month.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/188843#!

List of the 30 counts against Dzokhar Tsarnaev.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/summary-of-counts-facing-suspected-marathon-bomber/2014/12/30/08a25dee-9065-11e4-a66f-0ca5037a597d_story.html


This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/6783