Tamerlan Tsarnaev's wife Katherine Russell wore the hijab after converting to Islam

The widow of the Boston bomber is a "friendly and well-mannered" American woman, who returned from her first year at university in a hijab after converting to Islam, neighbours told The Daily Telegraph.

Boston bomb suspects are brothers
Tamerlan Tsarnaev when he won the 2010 New England Golden Gloves Championship in Lowell Credit: Photo: Agence Vu/Camera Press

Katherine Russell is believed to have married and had a daughter with Tamerlan Tsarnaev three years ago, having become a Muslim following her freshman year at Suffolk University in Boston.

Ms Russell, 24, was escorted by investigators to her parents' house in Rhode Island on Friday night, where she covered her face and refused to talk about her husband, who was shot dead by police.

Neighbours said they woke on Friday morning to find four FBI and police vehicles parked outside the house in North Kingston belonging to Ms Russell's parents Judith, 56, a nurse and Warren, 55, a doctor.

"Only then did I begin wondering if there could be a link between what happened in Boston and the gentleman who used to visit Katherine," Paula Gillette, a 51-year-old neighbour, told The Daily Telegraph.

"They are a very nice family, with three lovely daughters who are friendly and well-mannered," said Mrs Gillette. "And they were so happy to have a granddaughter. This is terrible for them".

Neighbours said that Mr and Mrs Russell had been "very supportive" of their daughter's decision to take up Islam, which saw her begin wearing a veil covering her hair, in line with Muslim practice.

They said Ms Russell appeared not to return to university after her conversion and the birth of her daughter, who is thought to be called Zahara.

The status of her relationship with Tsarnaev at the time of his death was unclear.