Update(2235ET): Images widely circulated Sunday showing the Moscow concert hall terror attack suspects being hauled before court. One of them was literally unconscious as clearly they have been severely roughed up – and likely tortured – by security services. Russian authorities haven’t been shy about this considering the number of videos now circulating showing portions of the intense and physical interrogations in action. The maximum penalty is reported to be life imprisonment, though it’s likely that torture or continued harsh physical punishment awaits them. According to more details from Russian media:
A Moscow court convened late on Sunday to hear prosecutors’ demands on pre-trial detention for a group of men detained in the aftermath of Friday’s Crocus City Hall attack, which claimed lives of over 130 people.
The suspects, all of whom are nationals of Tajikistan, appeared individually. Thus far, terrorism charges have been levelled against 32-year-old Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, who faces a life sentence if found guilty. Prosecutors told Judge Timur Vakhrameev that the suspect had admitted his guilt.
The court has opted to rule behind closed doors.
One of the shooters literally unconscious in court pic.twitter.com/24B74sbl6n
— What the media hides. (@narrative_hole) March 24, 2024
Below is what is known of the four thus far, based on statements in Russian media:
1) Dalerjon Mirzoev – Confessed – 32, Illegal Immigrant from Tajikistan, overstayed work visa, father of 4 young children.
2) Saidakrom Rachabalizoda – 28, allegedly born in Tajikistan, lives in Moscow.
3) Shamsiddin Fariduni – 24, Born in Tajikistan, factory worker, father of an 8-month-old baby.
4) Muhammadsobir Fayzov – Hairdresser, wheeled in on a stretcher to court. All have reportedly been charged under Russia’s “Terrorist Act” for their alleged involvement in the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack.
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Russian state media has underscored that “partners and geopolitical rivals alike have joined the chorus expressing horror in the wake of the Crocus City Hall attack.”
This has somewhat surprisingly included a statement of solidarity from Washington, as the death toll has has risen to 137 killed. “The United States strongly condemns yesterday’s deadly terrorist attack in Moscow,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a Saturday statement. “We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event.”
Reports: The Burj Khalifa lights up in the colors of Russia and says: “UAE stands in solidarity with Russia.”
Even NATO issued a statement of condolence, with NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah saying on X that the Western military alliance “unequivocally condemn the attacks targeting concertgoers in Moscow.”
“Our deepest condolences to the victims and their families,” she said, adding that “nothing can justify such heinous crimes.” Pope Francis too has offered special prayers for victims on Sunday.
But still Western officials hit back at President Putin’s attempts to link the terror attack, which ISIS-K has reportedly taken responsibility for, to Ukraine. Both the president and Kremlin officials have alleged the gunmen were trying to escape through Ukraine territory, utilizing a ‘window’ of support from across the border.
The fire which raged for many hours in the wake of the terror attack gutted the Crocus complex and part of the roof caved in. Below is stunning video of the aftermath:
UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has told Sky News that Britain has “very little confidence in anything the Russian government says.”
“We know that they are creating a smokescreen of propaganda to defend an utterly evil invasion of Ukraine. But, that doesn’t mean that it’s not a tragedy when innocent people lose their lives, when you have horrible bombings,” Hunt said. Hunt further emphasized that London takes “what the Russian government says with an enormous pinch of salt… after what we have seen from them over the last few years.”
Meanwhile Russia continues to investigate who was ultimately behind the attack as it currently has eleven people in custody, and among them are said to be the four gunmen.
Videos have emerged online showing some of their apprehensions as well as confessions, surrounded by several Russian security service personnel.
While Russian authorities are still very early in their investigation, the ‘confessions’ and claims and counter-claims which are still emerging remain bizarre and murky:
On Saturday, RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan posted footage of the interrogation of one of the suspects. The man in the video claims that he went on the killing spree after he was promised 500,000 rubles ($5,400).
The suspect also claimed that his handlers had instructed him as to where the attack should take place. He said he was ordered to “kill people there… doesn’t matter who.” The suspect claimed that the terrorist act was organized on Telegram with an unknown person who provided weapons.
Russia has said the attackers are not Russian citizens…
Tajik terrorists were brought to #Moscow for interrogation.
Investigative actions will be carried out with them.#MoscowTerroristAttack #Moscou #isis #russia #CrocusCityHall pic.twitter.com/m5NkagP5W3
— WorldNews (@FirstWorldNewss) March 24, 2024
The gunmen had later the same day of the attack been apprehended in Bryansk Region, “not far from the border with Ukraine,” according to Russian official statements.
Amid an ongoing flurry of speculation over the circumstances surrounding the Crocus Hall massacre, and the question of whether state actors or intelligence services may be involved, more videos have emerged which appear to tie the attackers to the Islamic State.
Prior social media claims that asserted one or more attackers were Ukrainian appear to have been debunked. Various theories continue to be advanced, also by mainstream pundits. Independent journalists such as Glenn Greenwald have pointed out that there are many more questions than there are answers at this point, but an MSM narrative has already quickly solidified.
In a statement released Sunday, the Russian Investigative Committee detailed that “Four sets of combat ammunition, with more than 500 bullets and 28 magazines, and two Kalashnikov assault rifles, which the attackers were armed with, were confiscated from the scene of the tragedy.”
The SITE Intelligence Group, which is often cited and relied upon in Western media, claims that the Islamic State through its official channels has “revealed the four fighters involved in the Moscow concert hall operation” and is “boasting” about its “fiercest attack in years.” Russia has long been an avowed enemy of ISIS, especially after the Russian military intervention in Syria starting in 2015, when Putin joined Assad in battling jihadists in the war-ravaged country.
ISIS propaganda channels have reportedly released cell phone videos from the attackers themselves…
Meanwhile, the Russian government has continued to question what intelligence concerning the planned attack that Washington may have had ahead of time. In a March 7 emergency alert, the US Embassy in Moscow said it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts.”
The embassy further urged all US nationals in the country to remain vigilant and “monitor local media for updates.” The Kremlin has demanded answers and even raised the possibility of Western involvement, given also the current claims that the terrorists may have had a ‘Ukraine connection’.
Some of the newly released footage is extremely graphic, in one instance showing a man’s throat being slit (the below is censored for online release):
Russian ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov has on Sunday issued a statement saying that it was the United States which first destroyed anti-terrorism cooperation between the two countries. However, anonymous US intelligence officials who spoke to major US media outlets claim that Moscow was notified that a big terror act was going to happen. But Antonov has said “some things [in this cooperation] worked out… and it is all destroyed today through no fault of our own.”
“We did not receive any notifications or messages in advance,” Antonov told RIA. However, White House spokesman John Kirby has sought to clarify, “I’m not aware of any advance knowledge that we had of this.”