If you were the most wanted man in America, would you set up a Twitter account and start tweeting from it?
Probably not. Which is why this Twitter account purporting to be posted by Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is almost certainly fake:
https://twitter.com/Dzhokhar_A/status/325210703399116802
https://twitter.com/Dzhokhar_A/status/325210906659270657
https://twitter.com/Dzhokhar_A/status/325216697273442304
https://twitter.com/Dzhokhar_A/status/325217061380956160
https://twitter.com/Dzhokhar_A/status/325227892449628161
https://twitter.com/Dzhokhar_A/status/325229182902743041
The likely-phony account was mentioned on the Boston Police Department scanner:
https://twitter.com/AlexJamesFitz/status/325233440247140353
https://twitter.com/billy_baker/status/325237325661626370
.@Dzhokhar_A is probably fake, but they were reading its tweets on the police scanner
— Jared Adler (@jaredadler) April 19, 2013
We are also seeing reports that some MSM outlets cited the account as if it were legitimate.
And FoxNews just played police scanner quoting that account. RT @jtLOL: Do everybody a favor and spamblock the hoax account @Dzhokhar_A.
— RedBrightandTrue (@RedBrightandTru) April 19, 2013
Dear @FoxNews, @CNN, @MSNBC, @ABCNews, @NBCNews, @CBSNews, et al.: @Dzhokhar_A is a hoax account. Please stop.
— China is lying (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
RT if you agree: The media should stop quoting the hoax account @Dzhokhar_A.
— China is lying (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Anything is possible but we would be very surprised if this account turns out to be real.
* * *
Update:
CNN talked to police officers who think the account is legit?
https://twitter.com/BostonForAngie/status/325260902700036097
We’re still skeptical (it’s CNN, after all), but like we said, anything is possible.
* * *
Update:
Here’s another “Dzhokhar Tsarnaev” account:
This one also appears to be fake.
https://twitter.com/c_heller/status/325249863392583680
Also fake. Used to be @FootyTube_ ~ just changed profile. RT @YourAnonNews: Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev's real twitter account – @Dzhokhar_
— Reality Matters (@datalogictruth) April 19, 2013
Update:
One of Tsarnaev’s high school classmates told BuzzFeed that this is the suspect’s Twitter account.
CONFIRMED: @J_tsar Is Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's Actual Twitter Account http://t.co/6iW173yXg5
— Ryan Broderick (@broderick) April 19, 2013
CNN confirms:
http://twitter.com/evanchill/statuses/325282992165638145
CNN apparently say they have confirmed @j_tsar is the real Twitter account of Dzhokar Tsarnaev.
— Harry (@_harry91) April 19, 2013
Hmm:
I just called the phone # on Tsarnaev's Twitter account: "The person you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time."
— Chris Moody (@moody) April 19, 2013
Does suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev appear in this image tweeted from the account?
Place your bets pic.twitter.com/L1lHCUzwBR
— Jahar (@J_tsar) March 16, 2013
For now, we continue to take this with a grain of salt.
Update:
Related:
Ongoing Twitchy coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing and the hunt for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member