Boston Marathon Bombing Suspects Originally Planned To Target July 4 Celebration

Suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing case had originally planned an attack on a July 4 celebration, but later zeroed down on the race day as the bombs were ready earlier than expected, according to recent reports.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev told the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation that he and his brother Tamerlan originally considered suicide bombings and attacks on July 4 Independence Day celebrations. Reports also have it that Dzhokhar told authorities that the two brothers viewed online videos of the sermons of radical American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in September 2011 by a U.S. drone strike.

New York officials revealed that the brothers still had a pressure-cooker explosive and four pipe bombs left after the Boston bombing and were heading for New York City before the authorities could arrest them.

Just days after the bombing, Tamerlan was killed during a police shootout while Dzhokhar was injured and is now in federal custody. He is facing charges for using a mass destruction weapon, which can result in the court issuing a death penalty.

Three of Dzhokhar's friends face charges for trying to hinder the investigation by dumping a laptop and a backpack filled with hollowed-out fireworks that were found in Dzhokhar's college dorm room.