The Russian newspaper Izvestiya published an interview with Anzor Tsarnaev, the father of Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, in which he heaps praise on his sons, says that Tamerlan was married with a young daughter, and claims the brothers were framed. In the article, which Byron Boneparth has translated from the original Russian, Anzor says he last saw his sons about a year ago and calls the now-deceased Tamerlan a “four-time champion” and claims that he was a well-known celebrity for his boxing achievements throughout America. He says his older son was also a jazz pianist, studied in acting school, and was married with a 3 1/2-year-old daughter. He also describes Dzhokhar, the younger son, who is currently being sought by law enforcement, as having “dreamed of becoming a great doctor.”
The brothers’ U.S.-based uncle, however, painted a less charitable portrait of his older nephew and called Tamerlan “a loser.”
Anzor insists his sons are innocent and have been framed. He claims to have spoken to Tamerlan immediately after the bombings on Monday and to have spoken with Dzhokhar three days ago. Anzor says:
My children were simply framed. They killed one of them. How could they? This is the special services. They simply had to arrest him. Now I fear for the second child. I keep in touch with them. Yes I live far away, but I know what my children are doing.
Anzor also states in the interview that he left the U.S. because he had a hematoma in the brain and “returned to his homeland to die.” Nevertheless, he claims to have “literally climbed out from the grave” since then.
