Russia contacted US twice about Boston bomber

WASHINGTON — Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss says the Russians contacted the U.S. twice about Tamerlan Tsarnaev (tsahr-NEYE'-ehv), one of the men authorities say was behind the Boston Marathon attacks.

Chambliss, of Georgia, says the U.S. was contacted once in March 2011 and again in November of that year. Another U.S. official says Russia provided the same information in both communications. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not allowed to speak publicly about the investigation.

Tsarnaev died in a police shootout.

The FBI has said Russia contacted the bureau once with concerns about Tsarnaev. The FBI said it told Russia that investigators found nothing to suggest he was part of an extremist group. It was unclear which part of the U.S. government received a subsequent request.