Cemeteries refuse body of Tsarnaev

WORCESTER, Mass. – The uncle of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev arrived in Massachusetts on Sunday to arrange for his burial, saying he understands that “no one wants to associate their names with such evil events.”

Ruslan Tsarni, of Montgomery Village, Md., met with the Worcester funeral home director and prepared to wash and shroud Tsarnaev’s body according to Muslim tradition. The 26-year-old died after a gunbattle with police on April 19.

Funeral director Peter Stefan said he hasn’t been able to find a cemetery in Massachusetts willing to take the body.

Stefan said he has been called “un-American” for being willing to handle Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s funeral.

“We take an oath to do this. Can I pick and choose? No. Can I separate the sins from the sinners? No,” he said. “We are burying a dead body. That’s what we do.”