Boston Bomber Charged in Civilian Court with 'Using Weapon of Mass Destruction'

Earlier today the Justice Department unsealed charges against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19. He was charged in the US District Court for Massachusetts, for “one count of using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction (namely, an improvised explosive device or IED) against persons and property within the United States resulting in death, and one count of malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive device resulting in death.

Three people died in last week’s explosions, and more than 200 were injured.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev became a US citizen on September 11, 2012. His citizenship, according to White House spokesman Jay Carney, is the reason that he will not be treated as an enemy combatant and tried in military court. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

It’s still not known whether the Tsarnaev brothers had any help in carrying out their attack, or were part of any larger terrorist cell.

Update: Legal Insurrection has posted the full complaint against Tsarnaev.