Four Suspects Appear in Court on Terror Charges over Moscow Concert Hall Massacre
The brutal attack at a Moscow concert hall that claimed the lives of over 137 innocent people has led to the appearance of four suspects in court on terror charges. The Kremlin, while defending its security services, faced criticism for not preventing the massacre.
The Four Accused: Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni, and Mukhammadsobir Faizov are the four men named by Moscow City Court as the primary suspects of the attack. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty.
Accusations and Allegations: The suspects are accused of storming Crocus City Hall in a Moscow suburb on Friday, shooting civilians at point-blank range before setting the building on fire. This resulted in the roof’s collapse while concert-goers were still inside.
ISIS Claims Responsibility: The terrorist organization ISIS claimed responsibility for the massacre and released graphic footage of the incident on their platforms. However, the Kremlin has alleged, without evidence, that the perpetrators were planning to flee to Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities have denied any involvement and called the Kremlin’s claims “absurd.”
Conditions of the Suspects: Mirzoyev, a 32-year-old man with a black eye and bruises over his face, had an expired temporary resident permit in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk. Rachabalizoda, born in 1994, claimed to have Russian registration documents but couldn’t remember their location. The third defendant, Fariduni, born in 1998, was employed at a factory in Podolsk and registered in Krasnogorsk.
Appearance in Court: The three men pleaded guilty to the terrorism charges, while it was unclear what the fourth man, Faizov, pled. They looked beaten and injured as they were brought into the courtroom, with videos of their rough detention and interrogation circulating on Russian social media. The four have been remanded into pre-trial detention until May 2022.
Questions Regarding Abuse: News Finder asked the Kremlin about the “visible signs of violence” committed against the suspects, but spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment.
Search and Rescue Efforts: Three days after the attack, rescuers were still searching among the ruins of the collapsed concert hall and trying to clear rubble. The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that over 300 specialists were working at the site.
Calls for Harsh Punishments: The attack, the deadliest on Russian soil in almost two decades, was met with outrage and disbelief in Russia, leading to calls for the harshest of punishments to be meted out.
ISIS Evidence: Despite ISIS providing evidence that its fighters carried out the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been keen to point the finger elsewhere. Putin claimed that a “window” had been prepared for the attackers to escape to Ukraine, without providing evidence. Other senior officials have also sought to blame Ukraine.
U.S. Warnings: Despite relations between Washington and Moscow being at historic lows, the United States warned Russia that ISIS militants were planning to stage an attack in the country. The US embassy in Moscow shared this information under the “duty to warn” policy and warned American citizens to avoid places like theaters and concert halls.
Putin’s Dismissive Response: In a speech Tuesday, Putin dismissed the American warnings as “provocative,” stating that these actions resemble outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize Russian society.
No Comment from Moscow on U.S. Warnings: When asked about whether Moscow had received warnings from Washington, Peskov refused to comment and defended the “tireless work” of Russia’s intelligence services.
Mourners Speak Out: A News Finder team in Moscow spoke to mourners who had turned out to lay flowers for the victims of Friday’s attack. Alexander Matveev, 37, expressed concern that Russians feel insecure and worried another attack could take place. He found Putin’s suggestion of Ukrainian involvement plausible. “He said they were trying to escape to Ukraine. This makes sense. They just found some halfwits who were eager for money.”
