Shraman Mitra
The whole of the United States was shocked by the brutality that ensued when Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev exploded two crudely made pressure cooker bombs at the Annual Boston Marathon’s finish line on April 15, 2013. While official reports claim the explosions claimed three lives and injured numerous others, the FBI took just three days to pinpoint the suspects and get their pictures out to the media.
Netflix’s ‘American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing’ takes us through the horrific incident and even portrays the aftermath of the tragedy. Interestingly, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar’s parents, especially their mother, were convinced of their innocence and even said so in public interviews.
Who Are Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s Parents?
Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s father, Anzor Tsarnaev, and mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, moved to the US from Russia in 2002. Since they were escaping a troubled region in Russia, the US government granted them asylum and considered them to be legal residents. Hence, reports mention that the family availed of the many aids provided by the state of Massachusetts while Tamerlan, Dzhokhar, and their sisters, Ailina and Bella, grew up in a contemporary American setting.
According to sources, Anzor and Zubeidat were orthodox Muslims who followed most of their customs without much questioning. However, it seemed like they were okay with their children adopting an American lifestyle. Still, Tamerlan started getting radicalized once he lost the opportunity to represent the United States in the Olympics as a boxer, and soon, Dzhokhar also attempted to follow in his elder brother’s footsteps.
Interestingly, in June 2012, the Boston police arrested Zubeidat Tsarnaeva on shoplifting charges. Reports mention that she stole about $1600 worth of clothes from a Lord & Taylor department store, but Zubeidat fled to Russia before she could be brought to trial. Meanwhile, Ailina and Bella also ran into trouble with the law, as the former was involved in a counterfeiting case, while the latter was charged with possession of marijuana with an intent to distribute in 2012.
At the time of the bombing, both Zubeidat and Anzor were residing in the Russian province of Dagestan. In fact, they were shocked to learn about Dzhokhar’s arrest and insisted that the brothers did nothing wrong. On top of it, the couple was devastated to hear about the death of their elder son, Tamerlan, and Anzor even made plans to return to the United States in order to give him a proper burial. Nevertheless, Zubeidat’s claims were somewhat improbable, as she initially insisted that the US had framed her children in the attack.
Zubeidat even went so far as to allege that the scene of the explosions was created with red paint and claimed that the Americans were the “real terrorists.” However, readers should note that she later supported the defense’s argument, stating that external factors and individuals influenced the Tsarnaev brothers to carry out the attack. Yet, Zubeidat still believed that she had made a grave mistake moving to the United States, as she accused the country of taking her sons away from her.
Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s Parents Are Leading a Quiet Life
Interestingly, Zubeidat and Anzor found themselves in the middle of a media frenzy following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. Hence, they decided to leave Dagestan and move to Chechnya for a quieter life. However, reports in May 2013 mentioned that the two were deported from Chechnya after the president, Ramzan Kadyrov, publicly admonished them. Even then, both Zubeidat and Anzor were convinced about Dzhokhar’s innocence, and they claimed they would fight the death sentence till the very end.
From the looks of it, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva and Anzor Tsarnaev still reside in the Russian province of Dagestan, where they have built up a quiet life surrounded by their close ones. Besides, they still believe that neither Tamerlan nor Dzhokhar was at fault for the bombing. On top of it, readers should note that Zubeidat remains a fugitive in the US as she is still wanted on felony charges related to the destruction of property and shoplifting. On the other hand, back in 2013, authorities added her name to the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment, which is maintained by the National Counterterrorism Center.
Read More: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev: Where is Boston Marathon Bomber Now?
