Boston Marathon suspects 'planned 4 July attack'

The Boston Marathon bombing suspects initially planned to attack the city's 4 July Independence Day celebrations, US media have reported. 

But they finished making the bombs more quickly than expected at Tamerlan Tsarnaev's home, anonymous US officials are quoted as saying.

It is unclear if they planned to target a specific event, but Boston hosts major 4 July festivities each year.

Meanwhile, the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev has been claimed by family.

A spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety confirmed a funeral home hired by his relatives picked up the remains on Thursday