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Lawmakers Push for Federal Trial of Boston Suspect Lawmakers Push for Federal Trial of Boston Suspect
(35 minutes later)
With the surviving suspect of the Boston Marathon bombing in the hospital — a breathing tube down his throat and unable to speak — several lawmakers said Sunday that he should be tried in federal court as a civilian, a move that would allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty.With the surviving suspect of the Boston Marathon bombing in the hospital — a breathing tube down his throat and unable to speak — several lawmakers said Sunday that he should be tried in federal court as a civilian, a move that would allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty.
Even as a special team of interrogators made their way to the city to question the suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston suggested that his injuries were such that he might not be able to communicate for some time.Even as a special team of interrogators made their way to the city to question the suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston suggested that his injuries were such that he might not be able to communicate for some time.
“We don’t know if we will ever be able to question the individual,” he said in an interview with ABC News.“We don’t know if we will ever be able to question the individual,” he said in an interview with ABC News.
The authorities said Sunday that they believed that Mr. Tsarnaev had tried to kill himself, based on the extent of the gunshot wound to his neck.The authorities said Sunday that they believed that Mr. Tsarnaev had tried to kill himself, based on the extent of the gunshot wound to his neck.
The injury “had the appearance of a close range, self-inflicted style,” a senior law enforcement official said. “He’s not in good shape.”The injury “had the appearance of a close range, self-inflicted style,” a senior law enforcement official said. “He’s not in good shape.”
The wound, and the fact that the suspect is sedated, have prevented him from speaking. Law enforcement officials and forensic experts can typically determine how far the weapon was from the body when it was fired based on the appearance of the wound.The wound, and the fact that the suspect is sedated, have prevented him from speaking. Law enforcement officials and forensic experts can typically determine how far the weapon was from the body when it was fired based on the appearance of the wound.
One unanswered question is whether others helped plan and carry out the attack, which federal officials said was still under investigation. Mr. Menino said he believed the brothers were not affiliated with a larger network. “All of the information that I have, they acted alone, these two individuals, the brothers,” he said.One unanswered question is whether others helped plan and carry out the attack, which federal officials said was still under investigation. Mr. Menino said he believed the brothers were not affiliated with a larger network. “All of the information that I have, they acted alone, these two individuals, the brothers,” he said.
According to a statement from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center on Sunday, Mr. Tsarnaev remained in serious condition on Sunday. Hospital officials declined to provide more details.According to a statement from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center on Sunday, Mr. Tsarnaev remained in serious condition on Sunday. Hospital officials declined to provide more details.
Mr. Tsarnaev was brought to the hospital late Friday night after a standoff with police in the Watertown neighborhood, where he was found hiding in a boat. He suffered gunshot wounds to his legs and neck, law enforcement officials said.Mr. Tsarnaev was brought to the hospital late Friday night after a standoff with police in the Watertown neighborhood, where he was found hiding in a boat. He suffered gunshot wounds to his legs and neck, law enforcement officials said.
The Boston police commissioner, Edward Davis, speaking to CBS News, said that the authorities believed that Mr. Tsarnaev, along with his older brother Tamerlan, 26, were planning more attacks.The Boston police commissioner, Edward Davis, speaking to CBS News, said that the authorities believed that Mr. Tsarnaev, along with his older brother Tamerlan, 26, were planning more attacks.
“We have reason to believe, based upon the evidence that was found at that scene — the explosions, the explosive ordinance that was unexploded and the firepower that they had — that they were going to attack other individuals,” he said.“We have reason to believe, based upon the evidence that was found at that scene — the explosions, the explosive ordinance that was unexploded and the firepower that they had — that they were going to attack other individuals,” he said.
But Commissioner Davis, like the mayor, said that he had seen no evidence that the young men had ties to a terrorist network or group.But Commissioner Davis, like the mayor, said that he had seen no evidence that the young men had ties to a terrorist network or group.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said government investigators had still not determined the motivation behind the bombings and were investigating whether terrorist organizations played a role in the attack.Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said government investigators had still not determined the motivation behind the bombings and were investigating whether terrorist organizations played a role in the attack.
“We don’t know all the facts,” he said before landing in Jerusalem on Sunday to begin a week of negotiations in the region.“We don’t know all the facts,” he said before landing in Jerusalem on Sunday to begin a week of negotiations in the region.
Representatives Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas, and Rep. Peter T. King, Republican of New York and the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, sent a letter to the directors of three of the nation’s leading intelligence-gathering agencies calling the FBI’s handling of the case “an intelligence failure.”Representatives Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas, and Rep. Peter T. King, Republican of New York and the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, sent a letter to the directors of three of the nation’s leading intelligence-gathering agencies calling the FBI’s handling of the case “an intelligence failure.”
They said Tamerlan Tsaranaev was the fifth man suspected of terrorism who had been investigated by the bureau. They said Tamerlan Tsaranaev was the fifth man suspected of committing terrorism while under investigation by the bureau.
Representative Mike Rogers, of Michigan, chairman of the intelligence committee and a former F.B.I. agent, strongly defended the bureau’s work. He also said he believed the older brother traveled to Russia under an alias. Representative Mike Rogers, Republican of Michigan who is chairman of the Intelligence Committee and a former F.B.I. agent, strongly defended the bureau’s work. He said he also believed that the older brother had traveled to Russia under an alias.
“They had information from a foreign intelligence service that they were concerned about his possible radicalization,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “They had information from a foreign intelligence service that they were concerned about his possible radicalization,” he said on the NBC News program “Meet the Press.”
“The F.B.I. did their due diligence and did a very thorough job of trying to run that down, and then asked some more help from that intelligence service to try to get further clarification, and unfortunately that intelligence service stopped cooperating.”“The F.B.I. did their due diligence and did a very thorough job of trying to run that down, and then asked some more help from that intelligence service to try to get further clarification, and unfortunately that intelligence service stopped cooperating.”
“We believe he may actually have traveled on an alias to get back to his home country,” Mr. Rogers said. “We believe he may actually have traveled on an alias to get back to his home country,” Mr. Rogers said. “When he comes back he has a renewed interest in that radicalization process.”
“When he comes back he has a renewed interest in that radicalization process,” he said. “That six and a half months becomes incredibly important,” Mr. Rogers said of Mr. Tsaraenvs overseas travels. “That’s probably where he got that final radicalization to push him to acts of violence.”
“That six and a half months becomes incredibly important,” Mr. Rogers said. “That’s probably where he got that final radicalization to push him to acts of violence.” The investigation, Mr. Hagel said, still was seeking to uncover “what these two brothers were up to — why, what motivated them, were they associated with foreign governments or nonstate actors or global terrorist organizations.”
The investigation, Mr. Hagel said, still was seeking to uncover “what these two brothers were up to, why, what motivated them, were they associated with foreign governments or nonstate actors or global terrorist organizations.” Investigators continued to collect evidence to build a criminal case against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
As investigators tried to figure out whether the brothers are part of a global terrorist network, they also continued to collect evidence to build a criminal case against Mr. Tsarnaev. As prosecutors worked to complete the criminal complaint against Mr. Tsarnaev that will detail the charges, hundreds of police detectives and F.B.I. agents — including members of the Joint Terrorist Task Force in Boston along with nearly 250 agents from 24 of the F.B.I.’s 56 field offices — continued to work on the investigation, officials said. 
Prosecutors were working to complete the criminal complaint against Mr. Tsarnaev that will detail the charges, hundreds of F.B.I. agents and police detectives -- from the Joint Terrorist Task Force in Boston along with nearly 250 agents from 24 of the Bureau's 56 field offices around the country, including many from other JTTF's in other Northeast cities -- continued to work on the investigation, officials said. Their efforts include analyzing records from the brothers phones and any computers and their browsing histories to find associates, possible witnesses and extremist group affiliations, as well as their credit card records and any other material seized from their apartment, car and possibly other locations to find any links to the bomb components, the backpacks or anything else that could tie them to the bombing or the shootings.  Their efforts included analyzing records from the brothers phones and any computers and their browsing histories to find associates, possible witnesses and extremist group affiliations. The agents also scoured the brothers’ credit card records and any other material seized from their apartment and car to find evidence of the bomb components, the backpacks or anything else that could tie them to the bombing or the shootings. 
Many local and national lawmakers said that the federal courts would be the best place to hold a trial, rather than a military tribunal.Many local and national lawmakers said that the federal courts would be the best place to hold a trial, rather than a military tribunal.
“I hope he’s brought to trial in federal court. He will get a fair trial,” Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a military lawyer for 30 years, said. “The public defender assigned to him should vigorously defend this young man because he or she will be helping America.”“I hope he’s brought to trial in federal court. He will get a fair trial,” Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a military lawyer for 30 years, said. “The public defender assigned to him should vigorously defend this young man because he or she will be helping America.”
Mr. Graham said that prosecutors should leave open the possibility that Mr. Tsarnaev should be treated as an enemy combatant in order to question him for a lengthy period without a lawyer and outside the criminal justice system, intensifying a recurring debate over how to handle terrorism cases arising inside the United States. But Mr. Graham said that prosecutors should leave open the possibility that Mr. Tsarnaev should be treated as an enemy combatant in order to question him for a lengthy period without a lawyer and outside the criminal justice system, intensifying the debate over how to handle terrorism cases planned inside the United States.
Under the public safety exemption, Senator Graham said, Mr. Tsarnaev can be questioned without having his Miranda rights read to him, but given his medical condition, that exception could end before he can speak. Under the public safety exemption, Senator Graham said, Mr. Tsarnaev can be questioned without having Miranda rights read to him, but given his medical condition, that exception could end before he is able to speak.
“When the public safety exception expires, and it will here soon, this man, in my view, should be designated as a potential enemy combatant, and we should be allowed to question him for intelligence-gathering purposes to find out about future attacks and terrorist organizations that may exist that he has knowledge of,” he said. “And that evidence cannot be used against him in trial.”“When the public safety exception expires, and it will here soon, this man, in my view, should be designated as a potential enemy combatant, and we should be allowed to question him for intelligence-gathering purposes to find out about future attacks and terrorist organizations that may exist that he has knowledge of,” he said. “And that evidence cannot be used against him in trial.”
Senator Charles Schumer of New York agreed that investigators should question Mr. Tsarnaev without the presence of a lawyer, but he said that there was no need to designate him an enemy combatant in order to do so. Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, agreed that investigators should question Mr. Tsarnaev without the presence of a lawyer, but he said that there was no need to designate him an enemy combatant in order to do so.
“I think that the good news is we don’t need enemy combatant to get all the information we need out of him. No. 1, the court, the one court that has ruled has allowed a lot of flexibility in the public safety exception before you Mirandize somebody,” Senator Schumer said. “But second, at any time, what’s called a HIG, a High-Value Interrogation Group, composed of the F.B.I., C.I.A. and anyone else, can question him without a lawyer in a secured situation and find out whatever they need.” “I think that the good news is we don’t need ‘enemy combatant’ to get all the information we need out of him. No. 1, the court, the one court that has ruled, has allowed a lot of flexibility in the public safety exception before you Mirandize somebody,” Senator Schumer said. “But second, at any time, what’s called a HIG, a High-Value Interrogation Group, composed of the F.B.I., C.I.A. and anyone else, can question him without a lawyer in a secured situation and find out whatever they need.”
He also said the information gathered during this questioning could not be used in a trial.He also said the information gathered during this questioning could not be used in a trial.
But Mr. Schumer said there was overwhelming evidence implicating the suspect and they would not need a confession to convict. But Mr. Schumer said that there was overwhelming evidence implicating the suspect and that prosecutors would not need a confession to convict.
“Given the facts that I’ve seen, it would be appropriate to use the death penalty in this case and I hope they would apply it in federal court,” he said. Massachusetts does not have the death penalty. “Given the facts that I’ve seen, it would be appropriate to use the death penalty in this case, and I hope they would apply it in federal court,” he said. Massachusetts does not have the death penalty.
Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the chairwoman of the intelligence committee, agreed that he should be tried in federal court. Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California and the chairwoman of the Intelligence Committee, agreed that Mr. Tsarnaev should be tried in federal court.
She said that the High-Value Interrogation Group created by President Obama to deal with terror suspects, which lawmakers said is assembling in Boston, was qualified to get the most urgent information from the suspect and noted that “the Miranda right can be read at a later time.” She said that the High-Value Interrogation Group created by President Obama to deal with terrorism suspects was qualified to get the most urgent information from the suspect, and noted that “the Miranda right can be read at a later time.”
The interrogation group is a multiagency team of specialists led by FBI. Its deployments are classified so Department of Justice declined to confirm its involvement. The interrogation group is a multiagency team of specialists led by the FBI. Its deployments are classified, and the Department of Justice declined to confirm its involvement.
Mr. Tsarnaev remained under heavy guard at the hospital, the same place where a dozen of those he is suspected of injuring were also recovering from their wounds. Mr. Tsarnaev remained under heavy guard at the hospital, the same place where a dozen of the attacks at the Boston Marathon a week ago were also recovering. In all, more than 50 people remain hospitalized in the region, according to The Associated Press.
In all, more than 50 people remain hospitalized in the region, according to The Associated Press. Sean Collier, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology officer who was killed on Thursday night, was remembered at a vigil on Saturday night. Hundreds of mourners, joined by many law enforcement officers, gathered at the Wilmington Town Common to honor Mr. Collier.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology officer who was killed by the suspects on Thursday night, Sean Collier, was remembered at a vigil Saturday night. Hundreds of residents, joined by many members of law enforcement, gathered at the Wilmington Town Common to honor Mr. Collier. His family issued a statement thanking the community for its support.
He family issued a statement thanking the community for their support.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of our wonderful and caring son and brother, Sean Collier,” the family wrote. “Our only solace is that Sean died bravely doing what he committed his life to — serving and protecting others. We are thankful for the outpouring of support and condolences offered by so many people.”“We are heartbroken by the loss of our wonderful and caring son and brother, Sean Collier,” the family wrote. “Our only solace is that Sean died bravely doing what he committed his life to — serving and protecting others. We are thankful for the outpouring of support and condolences offered by so many people.”

Reporting was contributed by Willie Rashbaum and Ethan Bronner from New York, and Thom Shanker, Brian Knowlton, Charlie Savage and Michael S. Schmidt from Washington.

Reporting was contributed by Willie Rashbaum and Ethan Bronner from New York, and Thom Shanker, Brian Knowlton, Charlie Savage and Michael S. Schmidt from Washington.