Russia Alleges That The Islamic State Is Responsible For The Deadly Attack At A Concert Hall In Moscow

Russia acknowledged for the first time on Friday that Islamic State orchestrated the March concert hall attack in Moscow, marking the country’s deadliest terror incident in two decades.

 

“In the course of the investigation… it has been established that the preparations, the financing, the attack and the retreat of the terrorists were coordinated via the internet by members of Khorasan Province [IS-K],” quoted Alexander Bortnikov, the head of FSB, by the RIA Novosti news agency.

 

IS has repeatedly claimed responsibility for the March 22 attack, which claimed over 140 lives. However, Moscow has consistently attempted to connect Ukraine and the West to the incident.

 

While discussing the attack on Friday, Bortnikov did not dismiss the Ukrainian angle, stating, “Upon completing the attack, the terrorists received clear instructions to move toward the Ukrainian border, where from the other side a ‘window’ had been prepared for them.”

 

Ukraine has consistently denied any involvement in the attack.

 

Gunmen in camouflage raided the Crocus City Hall venue on the outskirts of Moscow before setting the building ablaze.

 

Over a dozen suspects, including the four assailants—who all hail from the Central Asian nation of Tajikistan, an impoverished former Soviet republic on Afghanistan’s northern border—have been apprehended.

 

The United States stated that it had both publicly and privately cautioned Russia in early March about extremists planning an attack on a concert hall in Moscow.

 

Unnamed US intelligence officials informed American media outlets after the massacre that they had specifically warned Moscow about the Crocus City Hall being targeted by IS.

 

Russia dismissed these warnings. Just three days before the attack, President Vladimir Putin accused Washington of “blackmail” and attempting to “intimidate” Russians.