Chechnya's pro-Russian president, Ramzan Kadyrov, has spoken out in wake of the havoc caused by Russian-born brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev in the city of Boston.
In a statement on posted on his Instagram page on Friday, Kadyrov expressed his sympathies for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings who were hurt and killed, but denied that the suspects have ties to Russia.
"We have previously expressed our condolences to the people of the city and the people of America," reads the post written in his native language.
The Chechnya leader also criticized U.S. police for killing one of the suspects, instead of taking him into custody, and blamed the violence on his upbringing in the United States.
"The root of evil should be looked for in the United States," said Kadyrov.
"They (the brothers) grew up and studied in the United States and their attitudes and beliefs were formed there," he said. "Any attempt to make a connection between Chechnya and the Tsarnaevs is in vain."
He continued, writing, "Apparently the special services needed a result by whatever means to appease society."
The last living suspect was taken into custody Friday evening after an hour long standoff with police. Authorities found him hiding in a boat in the backyard of a Watertown home.
According to the Boston Globe, a State Police helicopter spotted the suspect moving in the boat Friday, which prompted police forces to surround the area. Officers used "flash bang" stun grenades to disorient and distract him in addition to a robot with thermal imaging cameras to investigate the boat, since they were warned that the suspect could be armed with a suicide vest.
In order to bring him into custody, police used a blow horn to talk the suspect into surrendering. He was then immediately rushed to the hospital.
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