Wednesday, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev spoke for the first time publicly.
The convicted terrorist acknowledged Ramadan. He expressed gratitude to Allah and his “creation”, asking Allah to help the victims and their families:
“If there is any lingering doubt, I did it along with my brother,” he said, referring to the bombing. “I ask Allah to have mercy on me, my brother and my family.” … “Allah knows the best.”
Tsarnaev apologized during his federal sentencing hearing. “I would like to now apologize to the victims and the survivors,” he said. “I am sorry for the lives that I have taken.” … “I pray to Allah to bestow his mercy on you,” Tsarnaev said. “I pray for your relief, for your healing, for your well-being, for your health.”
He thanked his attorneys: “Made my life the last two years easy. I cherish their companionship.”
He went on to say: “I am Muslim. My religion is Islam.”
Earlier, families of the victims and survivors made victim impact statements, leaving some jurors in attendance in tears.
Tsarnaev ended his statement and was sentenced to death by execution.
A jury in Boston has found 21-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev guilty on all counts related to the 2013 bombings of the Boston Marathon. The twin bombings, carried out with his older brother, Tamerlan, killed three people and left 264 others wounded.
“The jury convicted Tsarnaev on all charges, ranging from carjacking to using a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death. Tsarnaev was found guilty in the deaths of Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu and 8-year-old Martin Richard during the bombings as well as for the death of MIT police officer Sean Collier during a shootout that ensued after the bombings. Seventeen of the 30 counts can carry the death penalty
