Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev texted "lol," "you better not text me" and other messages to one of three friends who were arrested Wednesday for interfering with the investigation of the attack, according to the police complaint against them.
The newly arrested suspects were identified in complaints [PDF] as Dias Kadyrbayev, Azamat Tazhayakov and Robel Phillipos.
Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov are being charged with throwing away Tsarnaev's laptop and his backpack, which contained fireworks, and with obstructing a police investigation. Phillipos is being charged with making false statements to federal investigators.
Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov studied alongside Tsarnaev at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and told investigators they were "friends" with the bombing suspect. Hailing from Kazakhstan, Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov are in the United States on student visas and have been held in jail for more than a week on immigration violations.
According to the complaint, Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov first saw Tsarnaev in person after the attack two days after the bombings. When the Federal Bureau of Investigation released images of Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev a day later, Kadyrbayev told Tsarnaev via text message that he looked like one of the suspects. Tsarneav replied "lol" and warned Kadyrbayev not to text him.
Kadyrbayev told investigators that he saw Tsarnaev again the third night after the bombing. After Kadyrbayev spotted fireworks in Tsarnaev's bag, he concluded Tsarnaev was involved in the bombing. Kadyrbayev then decided to dispose of Tsarnaev's backpack and laptop in a dumpster near his apartment to "help his friend Tsarnaev avoid trouble," per the police report.
All three men are expected to make a court appearance Wednesday afternoon.
The Boston Police Department broke the news via Twitter Wednesday that three additional suspects had been taken into custody in relation to last month's fatal attack at the Boston Marathon.
Three additional suspects taken into custody in Marathon bombing case. Details to follow.— Boston Police Dept. (@Boston_Police) May 1, 2013
A subsequent tweet linked to a message ensuring the public they were in no immediate danger, but offered little other information about what was happening.
UPDATE: Boston Marathon Investigation: Please be advised there is no threat to the public.j.mp/15ZQDVK— Boston Police Dept. (@Boston_Police) May 1, 2013