Just how "Chechnyan" are these suspects?

[Erose999]

It seems one was just a teenager, and the other is/was a young man. If they were refugees, its likely that they matured here in America, and whatever was behind the bombing has nothing at all to do with Chechnya or Islam.

[Zax2me]

1. It was Islam.

They were radical Muslims.

[femmocrat]

3. Did you forget the sarcasm smilie?

[StrayKat]

11. No, their social pages are filled with radical islamic rantings.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/04/boston-bombing-suspect-posted-video-al-qaeda-prophecy-youtube

[SlipperySlope]

13. Youtube pages full of jihad and radical islam.

They have pages full of islamic propaganda. Either they are being framed or they drank the kool-aid.

[femmocrat]

15. That is not the same as a blanket statement "It was Islam."

While these two appear to be motivated by their radical beliefs, I still think we should avoid such broad-brush statements and conclusion-jumping for now. That is what I meant.

[SlipperySlope]

22. I agree no need to jump to conclusions

I was somewhat replying to your suggestion that a "sarcasm" tag was called for. While I agree that hasty conclusions are being reached, they aren't completely unfounded based on what information is coming forward.

I'm sure in a week we will know much more - and even then there will probably still be disagreement.

[DustyJoe]

16. lest we forget

The draw to islam knows no ethnic boundary

John Walker Lindh

[elleng]

2. Hard to tell;

#2 born in Krgystan; #1 in Russia, I think.

[Mass]

4. It is even unclear they are Chechnyan. They may be Russian having lived in Chechnya.

[dipsydoodle]

5. At least one of them has been in the US for 10 years.

.

[godai]

6. They came to love Islam and hate America.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022708842

[Bosonic]

7. Not necessarily so

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings

3 out of 4 attackers were *born* in the UK.

[graham4anything]

8. One went to a tonied high school, and on the wrestling team. His friends can't believe it.

The stories that he was here for a year or less, seems another false story.
The stories that they didn't go to school here appear to be false

As it appears at least one had friends, he wasn't a loner.

They are interviewing the Wrestling Coach now.
"He was just a normal person".

He came back to the school after a year to check out the team.

[Botany]

9. "they" have some links to radical Islam

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022709150 FYI

[hrmjustin]

10. I think I heard they were here for 10 years.

I also heard they were given asylum because their father was an official with the government.
The reason they did this could be anything.

[Erose999]

12. I have a few friends who were "born in" Yugoslavia, and became refugees. Some were Muslims some were

Eastern Orthodox X-ians. They were all around 10 years old when that happened. But they became adults in America and are just as culturally "American" as anyone else.

[librechik]

14. Just saw an interview with the uncle, he says they are from Kyrgistan

They have been in the US for at least 8 years


the older brother was a devout muslim and a medical student. Younger brother graduated high school here with honors, and had a scholarship for college.

[FarCenter]

17. Which passport you carry doesn't change your ethnic identity

Central Asia is not some "melting pot" where ethnic identities become submerged in some larger national identity.

The communists tried to do that and failed.

[magical thyme]

19. Their father was reportedly Russian

He worked in Chechnya for some years, but at least one of the sons was born in Russia.

[FarCenter]

20. A Russian would not name his sons Tamerlan and Dzhokhar

Note that the first president of the breakaway Chechen state in 1991 was Dzhokhar Dudayev. That was before Dzhokar Tsarnaev was born.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzhokhar_Dudayev

[LisaL]

23. Sure wouldn't.

Those are Chechen names, not Russian.

[Demo_Chris]

18. People are influenced by tales of glory. nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. The elder one regarded himself as Chechen

http://johanneshirn.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Will-Box-For-Passport/G0000VQW7v6xWA7o/I0000ralXhXM06wE

"Tamerlan demonstrates a way of walking to strengthen the ankle muscles at the Wai Kru Mixed Martial Arts center. A native of Chechnya, Tamerlan says: "In Russia, we used to train like this. Here nobody does it, I don't know why!" "

http://johanneshirn.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Will-Box-For-Passport/G0000VQW7v6xWA7o/I0000LluvfoSaW5Q

"If he wins enough fights there, Tamerlan says he could be selected for the US Olympic team and be naturalized American. Unless his native Chechnya becomes independent, Tamerlan says he would rather compete for the United States than for Russia. "

[SlipperySlope]

24. Not just Chechen

His statement suggests that he also identifies with the Chechen Independence cause.