According to Russian information, eleven people were arrested after the attack on the concert hall near Moscow. More than 100 people died as a result of the attack. Russia is investigating a terrorist attack.
Eleven people were arrested this morning after the fatal attack in a concert hall near Moscow. This was announced by the Russian secret service FSB. According to the Interfax news agency, four of those arrested are suspected of having been directly involved in the attack. The jihadist militia “Islamic State” had already claimed responsibility for the crime on Friday evening.
Several armed assassins broke into the “Crocus City Hall” on Friday, where a concert by the Russian band “Piknik” from St. Petersburg was about to begin. The hall offers seats for thousands of spectators. According to the Interfax news agency, two to five assassins are said to have been involved in the attack and opened fire on the guests. There was also an explosion and a fire broke out in the concert hall, which spread to the upper floors and the roof.
Death toll rises to more than 100
The number of people who died in the attack has risen to 115, the State Investigative Committee announced. The Russian Ministry of Health had previously spoken of more than 90 concert guests being killed, and three children also died that night due to the severity of their injuries.
There are still different information about the number of injured. The ministry said at least 100 people were injured, while the media reported up to 145 injured.
“Islamic State” claims responsibility for attack
Nothing is yet known about the possible background to the crime. As the domestic secret service FSB told the Interfax news agency, four of the eleven people arrested are said to have contact with Ukraine. They were on their way to the Ukrainian border when they were caught. Ukraine vehemently denied involvement in the attack, and the USA also said it saw no evidence of Ukrainian involvement in the attack.
Shortly after the attack, the “Islamic State” (IS) claimed responsibility for the crime. The jihadist militia said on Telegram that fighters had attacked “a large gathering (…) on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow.” It has not yet been independently confirmed that IS was behind the attack. However, the militia’s letter of responsibility was assessed as genuine by terror expert Peter Neumann from King’s College in London.
“Bloody terroristic Attack”
The Russian Foreign Ministry called the attack a “bloody terrorist attack.” “The entire global community must condemn this despicable crime,” ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote in Telegram.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been informed about the events “from the first minutes.” Putin later said through Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova that he wished those injured in the attack a speedy recovery and thanked the doctors for their efforts.
The head of the Federation Council – the upper house of the Russian parliament – Valentina Matviyenko, threatened those responsible for the attack with retaliation. “Those behind this terrible crime will receive the deserved and inevitable punishment,” she wrote on Telegram. At the same time, the state will do everything it can to help those left behind.
Media reports increased Safety precautions
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin spoke of a great tragedy. He expressed his condolences to the victims’ families. Sobyanin added that all sporting, cultural and other events in Moscow had been canceled for the weekend. Museums and theaters in the Russian capital also announced they would temporarily close.
As Russian state television reported, security precautions were increased in several major cities in the country and at the airport in Moscow. According to the Tass news agency, Red Square in the center of Moscow has been cordoned off.
As a result of the attack, the Foreign Office updated its Travel and safety advice. The authorities called on people to avoid the area around the site of the attack and to follow the instructions of security forces. After the attack, the highest terror alert level applies in Moscow and St. Petersburg, which is why “strongly intensified security measures” can be expected at airports, train stations, in the subway and in all public spaces.
Frank Aischmann, ARD Moscow, tagesschau, March 23, 2024 9:55 a.m