Russian intelligence gave enough advance information about Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2011 that the Boston Marathon bombings could have been averted, one Massachusetts lawmaker suggested on Thursday.
Democratic Rep. William Keating hinted at the claim from Moscow, on the heels of several meetings with senior Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB, intelligence officials, The Boston Globe reported.
Specifically, FSB agents told Mr. Keating that they had disclosed to Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency officials of Tsarnaev’s plan to join with an Islamist uprising in Dagestan, located in the North Caucasus region, way back in 2011.
Had CIA and FBI agents acted on that intelligence, then the April 15 Boston terror attacks may not have occurred, FSB officials said to Mr. Keating, The Boston Globe reported.
Mr. Keating said Russian intelligence agents provided him with detailed information that proved beyond a doubt that Tsarnaev “had plans to join the insurgency,” the Globe reported.
Mr. Keating was one of six members of Congress traveling to Moscow as part of a special delegation to discuss joint counterterrorism policy.
SEE ALSO: Chechen dad: FBI killed my son during Tsarnaev interview to ‘shut him up’
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.