The father of a man who was killed during questioning about his suspected ties to an alleged Boston Marathon bomber has written an open letter to President Barack Obama asking him to keep the FBI from interfering with an independent investigation.
Abdul-Baki Todashev, father of Ibragim Todashev, alleges in the letter that the FBI deliberately killed his son, Boston Magazine reported Monday. He also released several graphic photos of his son’s body and apartment with the letter.
The younger Todashev was shot to death by authorities in May while being questioned about his ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, officials said, after he lunged at an FBI agent with a knife. Conflicting reports that he may have been unarmed during the confrontation later emerged.
From Todashev’s letter, as quoted by Boston Magazine:
“Did my son know that he had the right to remain silent or did he have rights at all, including the right to live? Being a citizen of another country he might not be aware of the laws as he was only 27 years old and wanted to live so much. No, they left no chances for him inflicting 13 gunshot wounds and multiple hematomas on his body. After what FBI agents have done to him whatever excuses they come up with nobody would believe them because my son is dead and cannot talk for himself. They did it deliberately so that he can never speak and never take part in court hearings. They put pressure on my son’s friends to prevent them from coming to the court and speaking the truth.
I rely on you, Mr. President, and hope that the prosecutor’s office and the court do not let the agencies conducting internal investigation on this case prevent the truth from coming to light so that at least some part of our grief, caused by the murder of our son, is relieved, and that the murderers stand trial instead of sit in their desk chairs.”
A Florida prosecutor leading an independent investigation into the shooting, State Attorney Jeffrey L. Ashton, was expected to release his findings early next year. The FBI and the Justice Department were investigating the incident separately from Ashton’s inquiry.
