Accused Boston bomber pleads not guilty

Boston, July 11: Boston Marathon bomber accused Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to committing the worst mass-casualty attack in the US on April 15 this year that left more than 260 people injured and at least four dead.

19-year-old ethnic Chechen - a naturalized US citizen,Tsarnaev, appeared in the court for the first time at 3.30 pm, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit.

According to a news agency, survivors and relatives of the victims of Boston Marathon bombings were present in the court at the time of the hearing, that reportedly lasted for less than ten minutes. Tsarnaev's family members and his supporters are also said to have attended the hearing.

It is reported that Tsarnaev answered 'seven' times that he was not guilty and occasionally glanced back at the court gallery.

Thirty charges have been slapped against Tsarnaev, whose involvement in the deadly terror attack claimed at least four lives including three Boston Marathon spectators and a police officer.

Out of thirty charges, 17 against him are capital offences. As Tsarnaev is being charged under the federal law, he could face capital punishment if found guilty.

Tsarnaev is accused of setting off homemade pressure-cooker bombs on April 15 in the middle of the crowd watching the Boston Marathon.

Tsarnaev carried out the fatal attack along with his elder brother Tamerlan, 26, who was supposedly the mastermind behind the attack.

After several days of manhunt, Tamerlan was gunned down in a battle with the police while Tsarnaev was found severely wounded in a boat in the suburb of Watertown, Massachusetts.

OneIndia News