Suspects in 2024 Moscow concert hall attack that killed 149 face trial

Russian President Vladimir Putin claims, without providing evidence, that Ukraine was progressive successful the attack, an allegation Kyiv vehemently denies.

The proceedings has begun for 19 defendants accused of engagement successful the 2024 shooting onslaught successful a Moscow performance hallway that killed 149 people, and wounded implicit 600, successful 1 of the deadliest attacks successful the superior since the epoch of the Russian-Chechen wars successful the 1990s and 2000s.

The suspects appearing successful tribunal connected Monday, nether dense security, kept their heads bowed arsenic they sat successful the defendants’ cage.

An ISIL (ISIS) affiliate claimed responsibility for the March 22, 2024 massacre astatine the Crocus City Hall performance venue successful which 4 gunmen changeable radical who were waiting for a amusement by a stone set and past acceptable the gathering connected fire. ISIL’s Afghan subdivision – besides known arsenic ISKP (ISIS-K) – claimed work for the attack.

A monolithic blaze is seen astatine the Crocus City Hall connected the occidental borderline of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024. Several gunmen burst into the performance hallway and fired automatic weapons astatine the crowd, sidesplitting dozens [Sergei Vedyashkin/Moscow News Agency via AP]

President Vladimir Putin and different Russian officials person claimed, without providing immoderate evidence, that Ukraine was progressive successful the attack, an allegation Kyiv has vehemently denied.

The Investigative Committee, Russia’s apical transgression probe agency, concluded successful June that the onslaught had been “planned and carried retired successful the interests of the existent enactment of Ukraine successful bid to destabilise the governmental concern successful our country”. It besides said the 4 suspected gunmen tried to fly to Ukraine afterward.

The four, each identified arsenic citizens of Tajikistan, were arrested hours aft the onslaught and aboriginal appeared successful a Moscow tribunal with signs of having been beaten.

The committee said earlier this twelvemonth that six different suspects were charged successful absentia and placed connected Russia’s wanted database for allegedly recruiting and organising the grooming of the four. Other defendants successful the proceedings were accused of helping them.

In 2002, immoderate 40 rebels from Chechnya stormed the Dubrovka Theatre successful Moscow and took astir 800 radical hostage portion demanding an extremity to Putin’s warfare successful the separatist confederate republic.

Putin refused to negociate with the fighters, and the standoff ended with wide decease days aboriginal erstwhile Russian peculiar services pumped a almighty state into the gathering to stun the hostage-takers earlier storming it. Most of the 129 hostages who died were killed by the gas.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies