A probe into the federal government’s handling of accused terrorist Tamerlan Tsarnaev is focusing on whether agents missed 2011 warnings from Russia while a senator on Congress’ intelligence committee told the Herald he may have flown under the radar because he wasn’t tied to al-Qaeda.
U.S. Sen. James Risch, an Idaho Republican who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, said officials told him yesterday that agents investigating Tsarnaev in 2011 weren’t focused on a Chechen threat. Russian intelligence officials alerted the FBI to Tsarnaev as a possible threat in 2011 but at the time, the United States government was more concerned with al-Qaeda and other Middle Eastern terror groups, he said.
“We were looking at it from two different perspectives,” said Risch after he and other intelligence committee members received a two-hour-long briefing from high-ranking officials at the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
He said that Russian officials “looked at it from a different angle than we do.”
“Their concern was Chechen radicals. Our higher concern was al-Qaeda,” Risch said. “We had not had a Chechen incident, and as a result of that, it wasn’t our focus.”
Risch said it appears Tsarnaev, 26, did not get any training at a terrorist camp during a 2012 trip to Russia but in recent months had become immersed in Muslim extremism.
“We did get more information on how he became radicalized during the trip,” he said, adding that some of the radicalization could have occurred after Tsarnaev returned to his family’s Cambridge home.
“This was more of a self-radicalization than it was a travel for training at a terrorist camp,” Risch added. “There are mixed reviews as to when it occurred and how fast it happened. Sometimes it’s a gradual process and sometimes it’s quicker than other times. This was one of the quicker ones.”
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the agency was aware of Tsarnaev’s departure to Russia, and Risch added that many agencies were aware of Tsarnaev’s return as well.
Gov. Deval Patrick said the FBI never alerted state officials to Tsarnaev as a possible threat.”
“What law enforcement tends to focus on is ‘imminent threat,’” Patrick said. “In this case, there was no evidence of imminent threat.
Patrick said it was “too early” to say if the FBI should have flagged Tsarnaev. “The FBI, I’m sure, will be asked to answer those questions,” he said. “They’re going to be having hearings about it.”
The accused terrorist died in a firefight with cops after he and his brother, Dzhokhar, 19, allegedly bombed the marathon, killing three and wounding more than 250. Their alleged terror spree also left an MIT cop dead and an MBTA officer injured from gunfire.
Senate Intelligence Committee member Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who was also briefed, said there is “no question” Tamerlan Tsarnaev was the “dominant force” behind the attacks.
U.S. Sen. James Risch, an Idaho Republican who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, said officials told him yesterday that agents investigating Tsarnaev in 2011 weren’t focused on a Chechen threat. Russian intelligence officials alerted the FBI to Tsarnaev as a possible threat in 2011 but at the time, the United States government was more concerned with al-Qaeda and other Middle Eastern terror groups, he said.
“We were looking at it from two different perspectives,” said Risch after he and other intelligence committee members received a two-hour-long briefing from high-ranking officials at the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
He said that Russian officials “looked at it from a different angle than we do.”
“Their concern was Chechen radicals. Our higher concern was al-Qaeda,” Risch said. “We had not had a Chechen incident, and as a result of that, it wasn’t our focus.”
Risch said it appears Tsarnaev, 26, did not get any training at a terrorist camp during a 2012 trip to Russia but in recent months had become immersed in Muslim extremism.
“We did get more information on how he became radicalized during the trip,” he said, adding that some of the radicalization could have occurred after Tsarnaev returned to his family’s Cambridge home.
“This was more of a self-radicalization than it was a travel for training at a terrorist camp,” Risch added. “There are mixed reviews as to when it occurred and how fast it happened. Sometimes it’s a gradual process and sometimes it’s quicker than other times. This was one of the quicker ones.”
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the agency was aware of Tsarnaev’s departure to Russia, and Risch added that many agencies were aware of Tsarnaev’s return as well.
Gov. Deval Patrick said the FBI never alerted state officials to Tsarnaev as a possible threat.”
“What law enforcement tends to focus on is ‘imminent threat,’” Patrick said. “In this case, there was no evidence of imminent threat.
Patrick said it was “too early” to say if the FBI should have flagged Tsarnaev. “The FBI, I’m sure, will be asked to answer those questions,” he said. “They’re going to be having hearings about it.”
The accused terrorist died in a firefight with cops after he and his brother, Dzhokhar, 19, allegedly bombed the marathon, killing three and wounding more than 250. Their alleged terror spree also left an MIT cop dead and an MBTA officer injured from gunfire.
Senate Intelligence Committee member Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who was also briefed, said there is “no question” Tamerlan Tsarnaev was the “dominant force” behind the attacks.