Nineteen-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been charged in connection with the bombings that killed three people and injured more than 260, but that's not the end of the story.
Today, two of Tsarnaev's friends were arrested on federal charges of conspiring to obstruct justice, USA Today reported, for allegedly removing his backpack and laptop from his dorm room. The third suspect was charged with making false statements to investigators.
More specifically, court documents state that on the night the FBI released photographs of Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov removed Tsarnaev's backpack and laptop computer. The pair "admitted that they agreed to get rid of it after concluding from news reports that Tsarnaev was one of the Boston Marathon bombers,'' according to the documents.
"Kadyrbayev knew when he saw the emptied fireworks that Tsarnaev was involved in the marathon bombing,'' the court documents state. "According to Kadyrbayev, they then collectively decided to throw the backpack and fireworks into the trash because they did not want Tsarnaev to get into trouble.''
The third suspect, Robel Phillipos, is accused of making false statements to law enforcement officials related to the case.
The U.S. Attorney's Office District of Massachusetts also tweeted information about the case, and noted when these men would appear in federal court.
Three men arrested in connection with Boston Marathon will appear in federal court at 3:30 in Courtroom 19. Overflow in #20. — U.S. Attorney MA (@DMAnews1) May 1, 2013
UPDATE: Boston Marathon Investigation: Please be advised there is no threat to the public. j.mp/15ZQDVK — Boston Police Dept. (@Boston_Police) May 1, 2013
