Boston Marathon Bombings: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Pleads Not Guilty to 30 Charges [VIDEO]

One of the two Chechen brothers suspected of carrying out the bombings which decimated this year's Boston Marathon has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev denied 30 charges relating to the bombings, including using a weapon of mass destruction to kill, during his first public appearance since being apprehended by police in the wake of the attacks which killed three people on 15 April.

During a hearing which lasted just seven minutes, Tsarnaev repeated "not guilty" to each of the 30 charges arrayed against him in a Boston courtroom - 17 of which carry the death penalty.

Because the suspect has pled not guilty, the case will now go to a formal trial.

Federal prosecutors accuse Tsarnaev, along with his brother Tamerlan, of building, planting and ultimately detonating the two bombs which ripped through the marathon, before shooting dead a university police officer in the days after the attack.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has not been seen in public since he was found hiding underneath a boat in the Boston suburb of Watertown on 19 April, after a forensic city-wide manhunt.

He had gone on the run after Tamerlan, who is thought to have masterminded the bombings, was shot dead in an armed confrontation with police.

Despite the severity of the charges against him, the suspect, wearing an orange jumpsuit, reportedly looked laid-back in court, with some witnesses claiming he even appeared bored. When he left the courtroom he blew kisses to his sisters, who were watching proceedings - one of them holding a baby.

It is reported that around 30 victims and family members affected by the marathon bombings were also watching on.