Boston terrorist's wife, the girl next door
Katherine Russell was the typical American teen who dreamed of going to college. At 21, she met Tamerlan Tsarnaev, left school, converted to Islam and had baby. Police reports reveal husband arrested for assaulting her
Investigators in the United States continue their efforts to uncover further details on the identity and motive of the brothers Tsarnaev, who are suspected of carrying out the Boston Marathon bombing.
As part of their investigation they have questioned Katherine Russell, the wife of the elder brother, Tamerlan.
Related stories:
- Boston bombing suspect questioned Op-ed: Western world must wake up
- Op-ed: As if they caught another bin Laden
The British Daily Mail published on Sunday night an article which portrays Russell as a typical young American, the daughter of a doctor and nurse who gave up on her professional ambitions after meeting Tsarnaev, even though he abused her.
It is unknown whether or not she knew of his deadly plans. She herself, has not yet said her piece to the media.
Katherine Russell
Russell is now living with her parents in Rhode Island. A newspaper photographer spotted her in his lens when she arrived at her Cambridge, Massachusetts home. Armed federal agents accompanied her. She and her parents were interrogated and a short while following Tsarnaev's death, they came out with a public announcement:
"Our daughter lost her husband and her daughter's father. We can't digest the enormity of the tragedy, we understand that we never really knew Tamerlan. His actions are nauseating."
Russell's colleagues know her as "Katie" and told of her life as a student. According to them, she dreamt of going to college and volunteering in the American "Peace Corps." In her yearbook she wrote to her friends that they should "lighten up and enjoy the small things," in life.
Russell is the eldest of three daughters. Her father, Dr. Warren Russell is an ER doctor, and her mother Judith Russell is a medical nurse. In high school she was a member of the dance group and the art club.
Katherine continued her studies at Suffolk University in Boston, where she met Tsaraev, then a promising boxer and athlete.
In 2009, he was arrested for violently assaulting her in their house. But according to Cambridge Police reports, in her interrogation she said that "he is a very nice person." In 2010, she dropped out of school.
By the age of 21 she had already converted to Islam, married Tsarnaev and given birth to their daughter Zahara, who is now three.
Russle in high school yearbook
"I saw her like a few months ago and she was just totally transformed. She was not the same person at all," said her friend, who asked to remain anonymous. Another friend claimed, "she was just this all-American girl who was brainwashed by her super-religious husband. Nobody understands what happened to her."
Meanwhile, the interrogation of the younger brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev continues in the Boston hospital where he is being treated.
Tsarnaev, who interrogators believe was critically injured in his neck when trying to commit suicide while being surrounded by police forces, cannot speak and is communicating with the interrogators in writing. The interrogators are not prepared to await his recovery and are investigating him regarding the possibility that he and his brother operated in the framework of a terror cell with additional members.
They are also interested in learning about possible additional explosives that did not detonate. The fact that the suspect was not read his Miranda rights at the time of is capture has sparked controversy in the United States. Authorities claimed they operated in the framework of a special situation with the purpose of verifying that there is no immediate threat to the public.
- Receive Ynetnews updates
directly to your desktop
