Could this new video of Boston Marathon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev show that the brothers were physically preparing for what they thought would be an all-out war on America?
Just 72 hours before the attack, the brothers visited a gym that Tamerlan frequented for boxing practice. The security cameras captured footage of the two arriving at the Wai Kru mixed martial arts center with a friend on April 12.
The manager of the gym, “Michael,” told CNN that there was something very different about Tamerlan.
He had shaved off his religious beard, which he had for about two years.
Michael described the older brother as extremely opinionated and outspoken about his Muslim religion. He said he didn’t ask Tamerlan why he had shaved because he didn’t want to engage in what was likely to be a long, heated debate.
Now, Michael wonders whether Tamerlan’s shaving of his beard may have been part of an Islamic purification ritual prior to death.
“Shaving the beard may be a way to blend in, not to attract scrutiny from security services in carrying out the Boston attacks,” CNN terror analyst Paul Cruickshank said.
Cruickshank also explained that the reason the brothers might have been physically training so hard was to be prepared for jihad.
“We’ve seen with Western militants, wanna-be jihadists, a real emphasis on physical training, physical fitness, wanting to be prepared for jihad,” Cruickshank said.
But Tamerlan’s physical appearance isn’t all that alarmed the manager. His bad attitude was also cause for concern:
In surveillance video obtained by Splash News from Wai Kru, the manager — who was off-camera — asked the brothers to take off their shoes, as stated on the gym’s posted rules.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, complies right away. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, refuses to take off his shoes and argues instead.
The manager later e-mailed the owner asking him to ban Tamerlan Tsarnaev, saying he’s arrogant, selfish and never helps anyone else.
Watch the video above to catch a rare glimpse of the bombing suspects as they work out, interact with one another, laugh, and act as if their plan to kill as many people as they could wasn’t scheduled for later that week.
SOURCE: CNN
