Moscow attack: 3 suspects plead guilty in court
Three of the four Tajikistan citizens—officially indicted by a district court in Russia for "orchestrating a group terrorist attack leading to fatalities" in Moscow—have pleaded guilty, reports said. The indictment is linked to the tragic attack at Crocus City Hall in the Russian capital on Saturday, which resulted in 133 casualties The four accused reportedly are Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev (32), Saidakrami Rachabalizoda (30), Shamsidin Fariduni (25), and Mukhammadsobir Faizov (19).
Why does this story matter?
This comes right after the Kremlin on Saturday confirmed that authorities apprehended 11 people earlier, including the four suspected gunmen in the Moscow concert hall attack. The suspects were allegedly detained in Khatsun village in the Bryansk region, near the Russia-Belarus border. One of the suspects also admitted during interrogation of firing at people for monetary gain, disclosing he was promised "half a million rubles ($5,425)" and had received half of it.
Accused detained pre-trial, could face life sentence
According to reports, the three suspects who have pleaded guilty are Rachabalizoda, Fariduni, and Mirzoyev. Reports also said that Faizov was brought to the courtroom in a wheelchair, wearing a hospital gown with multiple cuts, and was attended by medics during the hearing. The three others also had visible bruising and heavily swollen faces amid reports in the Russian media that they were tortured during questioning. If found guilty, these men could face life imprisonment.
Islamic State circulates alleged visuals of attackers
Earlier, the Islamic State (IS) released visuals of the four gunmen who carried out the massacre on Saturday in the Russian capital. In a minute-long video released by the terrorist group's Amaq news agency, the attackers can be seen screaming and attacking victims inside the hall. "The attack comes within the context of a raging war between the Islamic State and countries fighting Islam," an Amaq statement was previously quoted as saying by Reuters.
Putin promises retribution for culprits, Ukraine refutes involvement
In a national address after the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to "justly and inevitably punish" not only those who carried out the attack but also those who planned and ordered it. He stated that after executing the attack, the shooters attempted to flee towards Ukraine. Kyiv, however, has firmly denied any involved in this act of terror.
Crocus City Hall worst attack in Russia in 2 decades
The Crocus City Hall attack is also the deadliest in Russia since the Beslan school siege 20 years ago when armed men demanding Chechnya's independence killed 334 people and held 1,100 hostages for three days. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the Kremlin hasn't faced a significant terrorist attack on its soil since the Saint Petersburg metro bombing in 2017, resulting in the loss of 14 lives.