Tamerlan Tsarnaev got Mass. welfare benefits

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Marathon bombings mastermind Tamerlan Tsarnaev was living on taxpayer-funded state welfare benefits even as he was delving deep into the world of radical anti-American Islamism, the Herald has learned.

State officials confirmed last night that Tsarnaev, slain in a raging gun battle with police last Friday, was receiving benefits along with his wife, Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, and their 3-year-old daughter. The state’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services said those benefits ended in 2012 when the couple stopped meeting income eligibility limits. Russell Tsarnaev’s attorney has claimed Katherine — who had converted to Islam — was working up to 80 hours a week as a home health aide while Tsarnaev stayed at home.

In addition, both of Tsarnaev’s parents received benefits, and accused brother bombers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan were recipients through their parents when they were younger, according to the state.

The news raises questions over whether Tsarnaev financed his radicalization on taxpayer money.

Relatives and news reports have indicated that Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s descent into extremist Islam began around 2008 or 2009, when the ethnic Chechen met a convert identified only as “Misha,” began to become more devout, and sought out jihadist and conspiracy theorist websites, and the rabidly anti-Semitic propaganda tract, “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.”

In 2009, he was quoted in a photo essay as saying, “I don’t have a single American friend, I don’t understand them,” adding that he believed Americans had lost their “values.”

His uncle Ruslan Tsarnaev said it was around that time his nephew gave up drinking and was devoting himself to “God’s business,” while Tamerlan’s mother, now wearing a hijab — an Islamic headscarf — began relating conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks to her cosmetology clients that she said her son had told her.

In early 2011, Tamerlan Tsarnaev first came to the attention of the FBI when the Russian FSB intelligence service contacted the U.S. agency to warn that he was suspected of being a dangerous radical and sought information.

“The request stated that it was based on information that he had changed drastically since 2010 as he prepared to leave the United States for travel to the country’s region to join unspecified underground groups.” The FBI reported finding no “terrorism activity.”

In mid-2011, he was being monitored by the FSB, apparently prompting the FBI contact, ahead of his six-month trip home to Dagestan in 2012, where Time magazine reported he is believed to have attended a notorious radical mosque.

The state did not say when the Tsarnaevs began receiving benefits. But Health and Human Services spokesman Alec Loftus said the Tsarnaevs “were not receiving transitional assistance benefits at the time of the incident,” a reference to the marathon bombing that killed three and injured 260.

Loftus declined to specify what kinds of benefits and the amount of benefits the family received.

Their taxpayer-funded status came to light last night after repeated calls and emails to welfare officials from the Herald. They refused to comment throughout the day, but pressure mounted last night when the Herald started asking lawmakers whether the Department of Transitional Assistance should release the information.

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/04/tamerlan_tsarnaev_got_mass_welfare_benefits

[GandD 5,966]

This is gonna be a fun thread.

[decocker 7,198]

background checks for all welfare recipients!

[Karee 4,189]

This is gonna be a fun thread.

Yeah it is. Muslim terrorists on welfare. Can't make that up.

Edited April 24, 2013 by Karee

[GandD 5,966]

background checks for all welfare recipients!

Especially their religion.

[Karee 4,189]

Yeah it is. Muslim terrorists on welfare. Can't make that up.

Although it is hard to beat the guys from 9/11 that came over on student visas to learn how to fly.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Wow! Taxpayers supporting extreme fundamentalist terrorists. Buy more oil!

[Harsh_77 716]

OP - why would he not receive the state funded benefits or why would his wife and kid would not receive the benefits?

All of them were / are USC.

As per you what in the system should have flagged them from getting those benefits?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Yeah it is. Muslim terrorists on welfare. Can't make that up.

It's a wet dream come true for some.

It's just a shame they're white.

State officials confirmed last night that Tsarnaev, slain in a raging gun battle with police last Friday, was receiving benefits along with his wife, Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, and their 3-year-old daughter.

The wife and daughter are born and raised USC's.

Edited April 24, 2013 by Evylin

[Karee 4,189]

It's a wet dream come true for some.

It's just a shame they're white.

Ohh well, I'm sure everyone will make due.

[duraaraa 203]

It's a wet dream come true for some.

It's just a shame they're white.

What could anyone do to know he was capable of doing such a thing, though?

One excellent aspect of our system is that it gives people the benefit of the doubt. Yes, it can come back to bite us in the butt, for lack of a better term, but it is the honorable way of dealing with people. There are still places in the world where being of a certain race or religion can disqualify you from benefits, or even qualify you to be harassed everywhere you go.

He had a green card, he was legal, he hadn't done anything wrong up to that point, as far as I know. It can't be helped, and it very well may happen again in the future despite anyone trying to stop it.

Edited April 24, 2013 by duraaraa

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Ohh well, I'm sure everyone will make due.

Can't have everything!

What could anyone do to know he was capable of doing such a thing, though?

One excellent aspect of our system is that it gives people the benefit of the doubt. Yes, it can come back to bite us in the butt, for lack of a better term, but it is the honorable way of dealing with people. There are still places in the world where being of a certain race or religion can disqualify you from benefits, or even qualify you to be harassed everywhere you go.

He had a green card, he was legal, he hadn't done anything wrong up to that point, as far as I know. It can't be helped, and it very well may happen again in the future despite anyone trying to stop it.

I don't know why this was in response to my comment? I think the OP is ridiculous.

[Karee 4,189]

Can't have everything!

Maybe they were gay. One can only hope.

[GandD 5,966]

OP - why would he not receive the state funded benefits or why would his wife and kid would not receive the benefits?

All of them were / are USC.

As per you what in the system should have flagged them from getting those benefits?

I'm going to guess, this was his point. Minus the bit about the oil.

Wow! Taxpayers supporting extreme fundamentalist terrorists. Buy more oil!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

OP - why would he not receive the state funded benefits or why would his wife and kid would not receive the benefits?

All of them were / are USC.

He - the older terrorist brother - was not a USC.