Suspects charged with terrorism as Putin admits radical Islamists were behind shooting

A court in Russia has charged four suspected gunmen with terrorism for allegedly attacking a Moscow concert hall on Friday night, killing at least 137 people.The suspects appeared to bear marks of torture when they appeared in Moscow’s Basmanny District Court as all four reportedly pleaded guilty.One suspect, identified by the Russian court authorities as the youngest of the four, was wheeled into the courtroom and appeared to be only half conscious. It was unclear whether the confessions of guilt were forced.The men were officially identified as citizens of Tajikistan.The charges were laid as president Vladimir Putin admitted radical Islamists were behind the terrorist attack in Moscow after initially blaming Ukraine for the mass shooting.The Russian president said the attack was an “act of intimidation”.A court statement on Telegram said Mr Mirzoyev had “admitted his guilt in full”, while Mr Rachabalizoda also “admitted guilt”. All four were remanded in pre-trial custody until May.Horrifying footage has appeared to show the moment one of the four suspects was chased down by Russia’s security services and fed his own severed ear.Key PointsSuspects named and pictured as they appear in court charged with terrorismSuspects appear in court with missing eye and torture scarsMacron: Group behind Moscow attack also attempted several actions in FranceDeath toll rises to 137 in massacreJeremy Hunt urges UK to remain ‘vigilant’ following Moscow attackSuspects appear in court with missing eye and torture scarsTuesday 26 March 2024 04:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarFour main suspects of the Moscow concert hall shooting, all Tajikistan nationals, appeared to be severely tortured before they were brought to court.One suspect, identified by the Russian court authorities as the youngest of the four, was wheeled into the courtroom and appeared to be only half conscious. He appeared to have multiple cuts and one of his eyes was missing.Another had a plastic bag still hanging over his neck and a third man had a heavily bandaged ear. Russian media reported Saturday that one suspect had his ear cut off during an interrogation.The suspects, clockwise from top left: Murodali Rachabalizoda, Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Muhammadsobir Fayzov and Shamsidi Fariduni, appear in court (AFP/Getty)Countries across Europe increase terror alert after concert hall attack in RussiaTuesday 26 March 2024 04:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainEuropean countries have issued updated warnings following the attack on the Russian concert hall.Italy has followed France in stepping up security following the attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall and the claim of responsibility by an affiliate of the Islamic State group.The attack renewed attention in Europe on the risk from the extremists, and particularly the Central Asian affiliate, as the continent gears up for big events such as the Paris Olympics and the European Championship in Germany.Countries across Europe increase terror alert after concert hall attack in Russia Seven more suspects detained by Russian law enforcementTuesday 26 March 2024 03:27 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRussian authorities have detained seven other suspects for being allegedly involved in the Moscow concert shooting.Three of them were remanded by the court yesterday on charges based on their alleged involvement. As they mowed down concertgoers with gunfire, the attackers set fire to the vast concert hall, and the resulting blaze caused the roof to collapse, according to reports.Four main suspects, all Tajikistan nationals, were charged with terrorism by a Russian court on Monday after they were remanded to custody pending the outcome of the official investigation.Russian media reported that the four were tortured while being interrogated, and they showed signs during their court appearance of having been severely beaten.Russian officials said all four pleaded guilty to the charges, which carry life punishment, but their condition raised questions about whether their statements might have been coerced.The Moscow attack shows the threat from Isis is as high as ever – the West must bewareTuesday 26 March 2024 03:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAt a time of combustible geopolitics, with international focus on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, terrorist groups will seek to take advantage of a frayed security landscape, writes Kim Sengupta:Strong indications that Islamist extremists were planning to carry out an attack – “a spectacular” one in terms of its lethal ambition – had been around for a while. And there was a certain grim inevitability to the massacre of more than 140 people that took place yesterday in Moscow.Despite relations between Nato and Russia reaching the lowest point since the coldest of times during the Cold War, channels of communication on matters of terrorism have remained active between the Kremlin and a number of Western states.The attack in Moscow shows the threat from Isis is as high as ever | Kim SenguptaWhat is ISIS-K and why has it attacked Russia?Tuesday 26 March 2024 02:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIn the weeks leading up to the tragedy at a Moscow music venue on Friday night, warnings had been relayed to Russia that a terror attack perpetrated by extremists was imminent.Despite this, it appears their intelligence services were caught unaware when a group of four gunmen opened fire at Crocus City Hall, where 7,000 concertgoers had gathered to watch the progressive rock band Picnic.At least 137 people have been killed, while over a hundred more have been wounded with the jihadist group ISIS-K claiming responsibility in a series of videos and messages.What is ISIS-K and why has it attacked Russia? Tuesday 26 March 2024 01:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainCities across Russia mark day of mourning for Moscow concert hall attack victimsGraphic footage shows suspect in Moscow concert attack ‘being force-fed own ear’Tuesday 26 March 2024 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainFootage that appears to show the torture of suspects in the Moscow concert hall attack during which more than 130 people were killed is circulating in Russia, although the Kremlin is refusing to answer questions about the videos. A total of 97 people remain in hospital, officials said.One of the films appears to show security forces cutting off the ear of one of the suspects and trying to feed it to him, while another shows a man apparently being subject to electric shocks to his groin. A third shows security forces beating a man with their rifle butts and kicking him as he lies in the snow. Isis has claimed the attack and itself released graphic video of the attackers firing on the crowd inside the concert hall.Graphic footage shows suspect in Moscow concert attack ‘being force-fed own ear’Massacre, manhunt and mourning: How Russia’s deadliest attack in years unfolded over the weekendMonday 25 March 2024 23:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe auditorium at Crocus City Hall was about three-quarters full, with the crowd waiting to see Picnic, a band popular since the Soviet days of the early 1980s. But the concert was sold out in the 6,200-seat hall, so some of the audience was still likely getting food or were shedding their heavy coats in the cloakroom.It was 7-10 minutes before the start of the show, scheduled for 8 p.m., said concertgoer Dave Primov.Then came the popping sounds.“Initially I thought: fireworks or something like that…” Primov told The Associated Press. “I looked at my colleague, and he also said: ‘Fireworks, probably.’”Massacre, manhunt and mourning: How Russia’s deadliest attack in years unfolded over the weekendMoscow attack: Everything we know so far about concert hall terror suspectsMonday 25 March 2024 22:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe four men suspected of carrying out the deadly terrorist attack in Moscow have appeared in court bearing the marks of torture.The suspects, identified by Russian authorities as being from Tajikistan, a Central Asian nation bordering Afghanistan, were allegedly picked up in the Bryansk region about 210 miles southwest of Moscow hours after the attack. Without providing any evidence, Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed they were heading for Ukraine.Both Ukraine and its western allies, including the US, have denied any involvement in the attack.Moscow attack: Everything we know so far about concert hall terror suspectsRussian officials call for harsh punishment for those who carried out deadly concert attackMonday 25 March 2024 20:48 , Maryam Zakir-HussainCalls mounted on Monday to harshly punish those behind the Russia concert hall attack that killed more than 130 people as authorities combed the burned-out ruins of the shopping and entertainment complex for more bodies.Four men, charged with carrying out a terrorist attack, appeared in court Sunday night and showed signs of being severely beaten.Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said the investigation is still ongoing but vowed that “the perpetrators will be punished, they do not deserve mercy.”Russian officials call for harsh punishment for those who carried out deadly concert attackCountries across Europe increase terror alert after concert hall attack in RussiaMonday 25 March 2024 19:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainEuropean countries have issued updated warnings following the attack on the Russian concert hall.Italy has followed France in stepping up security following the attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall and the claim of responsibility by an affiliate of the Islamic State group.The attack renewed attention in Europe on the risk from the extremists, and particularly the Central Asian affiliate, as the continent gears up for big events such as the Paris Olympics and the European Championship in Germany.Countries across Europe increase terror alert after concert hall attack in Russia Putin says gunmen were ‘radical Islamists’ but questions why ‘they tried to flee to Ukraine’Monday 25 March 2024 18:56 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussian President Vladimir Putin said the gunmen who carried out the concert hall attack that killed more than 130 people in Moscow last week were “radical Islamists”.Speaking in a meeting with government officials, Mr Putin said the killings were carried out by extremists “whose ideology the Islamic world has been fighting for centuries”.Mr Putin, who said over the weekend that the four attackers were arrested while trying to escape to Ukraine, did not mention the affiliate of the Islamic State group that claimed responsibility for the attack.He again refrained from mentioning IS in his remarks on Monday.He also stopped short of saying who ordered the attack, but said it was necessary to find out “why the terrorists after committing their crime tried to flee to Ukraine and who was waiting for them there”. (AFP via Getty Images)Putin admits concert shooting was by radical IslamistsMonday 25 March 2024 18:24 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe deadly attack on a concert hall near Moscow was conducted by radical Islamists, but the shooting fits in a wider campaign of intimidation by Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.“This atrocity may be just a link in a whole series of attempts by those who have been at war with our country since 2014 by the hands of the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime,” Putin said.According to him those who planned the attack “hoped to sow panic and discord in our society, but they met unity and determination to resist this evil.” (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Macron says intelligence shows Islamic State was behind Russia concert attackMonday 25 March 2024 17:59 , Maryam Zakir-HussainFrance on Monday joined the United States in saying intelligence indicated Islamic State was responsible for an attack on a concert hall outside Moscow that killed 137 people, while Russia continued to suggest that Ukraine was to blame.In the deadliest attack inside Russia for two decades, four men burst into the Crocus City Hall on Friday night, spraying bullets during a concert by the Soviet-era rock group Picnic. Alongside the dead, 182 people were wounded.Four men, at least one a Tajik, were remanded in custody on terrorism charges. They were led separately into a cage at Moscow’s Basmanny district court.Islamic State said it was responsible for the attack, a claim that the United States has publicly said it believes. The hardline Islamist militant group has released what it says is footage from the attack. U.S. officials said they had warned Russia this month of intelligence about an imminent attack.French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters: “The information available to us…as well as to our main partners, indicates indeed that it was an entity of the Islamic State that instigated this attack.”“This group also tried to commit several actions on our own soil,” he said during a visit to French Guiana.Moscow attackers briefly entered Turkey to renew Russian residence permits, Turkish official saysMonday 25 March 2024 17:29 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe gunmen from Tajikistan who carried out a deadly attack in Moscow last week briefly entered Turkey to renew their Russian residence permits, but their radicalisation did not happen there, a Turkish security official told Reuters on Monday.There was no existing arrest warrant against the attackers, meaning they could travel freely between Turkey and Russia, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that the attackers had been living in Moscow for a long time.Two of the attackers left Turkey to travel to Moscow on the same flight on March 2, 2024, the person said.More than 143 people were killed and dozens more injured in the attack, which was later claimed by Islamic State.What is ISIS-K and why has it attacked Russia?Monday 25 March 2024 16:43 , Tom WatlingIn the weeks leading up to the tragedy at a Moscow music venue on Friday night, warnings had been relayed to Russia that a terror attack perpetrated by extremists was imminent.Despite this, it appears their intelligence services were caught unaware when a group of four gunmen opened fire at Crocus City Hall, where 7,000 concertgoers had gathered to watch the progressive rock band Picnic.At least 137 people have been killed, while over a hundred more have been wounded with the jihadist group ISIS-K claiming responsibility in a series of videos and messages.What is ISIS-K and why has it attacked Russia? Graphic footage shows suspect in Moscow concert attack ‘being force-fed own ear’Monday 25 March 2024 16:15 , Tom WatlingGraphic footage purporting to show the open torture of suspects in the Moscow concert hall attack during which more than 130 people were killed are circulating in Russia – with the Kremlin refusing to answer questions about the videos.One of the videos appears to show security forces cutting off the ear of one of the suspects and trying to feed it to him, while another shows a man apparently being subject to electric shocks to his groin. A third shows security forces beating a man with their rifle butts and kicking him as he lies in the snow. Isis has claimed the attack and itself released graphic video of the attackers firing on the crowd inside the concert hall.Moscow attack: Everything we know so far about concert hall terror suspectsMonday 25 March 2024 15:27 , Tom WatlingThe four men suspected of carrying out the deadly terrorist attack in Moscow have appeared in court bearing the marks of torture.The suspects, identified by Russian authorities as being from Tajikistan, a Central Asian nation bordering Afghanistan, were allegedly picked up in the Bryansk region about 210 miles southwest of Moscow hours after the attack. Without providing any evidence, Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed they were heading for Ukraine.Both Ukraine and its western allies, including the US, have denied any involvement in the attack.Moscow attack: Everything we know so far about concert hall terror suspectsMacron says intelligence shows Islamic State was behind Russia concert attackMonday 25 March 2024 14:29 , Tom WatlingFrance has joined the United States in saying intelligence indicated Islamic State was responsible for an attack on concert hall outside Moscow that killed 137 people, while Russia continued to suggest that Ukraine was to blame.In the deadliest attack inside Russia for two decades, four men burst into the Crocus City Hall on Friday night, spraying people with bullets during a concert by the Soviet-era rock group Picnic. Alongside the dead, 182 people were wounded.Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, a claim that the United States has publicly said it believes, and the militant group has since released what it says is footage from the attack. US officials said they had warned Russia of intelligence about an imminent attack earlier this month.“The information available to us … as well as to our main partners, indicates indeed that it was an entity of the Islamic State which instigated this attack,” French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters, referring to Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan, which is known as ISIS-Khorasan or ISIS-K.France bolsters police presence after Isis attack in MoscowMonday 25 March 2024 13:29 , Tom WatlingFrance has bolstered its military and police presence in Paris after the government raised the terrorist threat to its highest level on Sunday following the Isis-K attack in Moscow.A soldier patrols at the Eiffel Tower, Monday, March 25, 2024 in Paris (AP)Police officers patrol on the Trocadero square Monday, March 25, 2024 in Paris (AP)Blindfolded Moscow concert attack ‘suspects’ led into Investigations Committee HQMonday 25 March 2024 13:00 , Tom WatlingThe Russian Investigative Committee has released footage of what they claim to be the Moscow concert attack suspects blindfolded, being led into their HQ.Russia is observing a day of mourning following the attack at Crocus City Hall, with the death toll reaching 137.ISIS have claimed responsibility for the atrocities, and four suspects are currently being detained. Two of those suspects are seen in the clip handcuffed, with their heads pressed against a wall.Vladimir Putin has attempted to shift the blame to Ukraine for the attack, which the country strongly denies.Blindfolded Moscow concert attack ‘suspects’ dragged into Investigations Committee HQThe Moscow attack shows the threat from Isis is as high as ever – the West must bewareMonday 25 March 2024 12:30 , Tom WatlingAt a time of combustible geopolitics, with international focus on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, terrorist groups will seek to take advantage of a frayed security landscape, writes Kim SenguptaThe attack in Moscow shows the threat from Isis is as high as ever | Kim SenguptaCities across Russia mark day of mourning for Moscow concert hall attack victimsMonday 25 March 2024 12:03 , Tom WatlingRussia observed a national day of mourning two days after an attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed more than 130 people.Events by cultural institutions were cancelled on Sunday 24 March as flags were lowered to half-staff, while television entertainment and advertising were suspended.A steady stream of people added to a makeshift memorial near the burnt-out concert hall, creating a huge mound of flowers.There were similar scenes at memorials in cities across Russia as residents spoke of the grief, shock, and sadness being felt in the aftermath of the attack.Moscow attack: Everything we know so far about concert hall terror suspectsMonday 25 March 2024 11:30 , Tom WatlingThe four men suspected of carrying out the deadly terrorist attack in Moscow have appeared in court bearing the marks of torture.The suspects, identified by Russian authorities as being from Tajikistan, a Central Asian nation bordering Afghanistan, were allegedly picked up in the Bryansk region about 210 miles southwest of Moscow hours after the attack. Without providing any evidence, Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed they were heading for Ukraine.Both Ukraine and its western allies, including the US, have denied any involvement in the attack.Moscow attack: Everything we know so far about concert hall terror suspectsKremlin: we are not joining death penalty debate after concert hall attackMonday 25 March 2024 11:00 , Tom WatlingThe Kremlin has said it is not taking part in discussions about restoring the death penalty, broached by top allies of President Vladimir Putin in the wake of Russia’s deadliest attack in two decades.“Now many people are asking questions about the death penalty. This topic, of course, will be deeply, professionally, meaningfully studied,” Vladimir Vasilyev, parliamentary leader of the United Russia faction in the lower house of parliament, was quoted by the state news agency TASS media as saying on Saturday.Dmitry Medvedev, a Putin ally who served a term as Russia’s president and has become stridently hawkish since Russia sent its troops into Ukraine two years ago, discussed the detained suspects on his Telegram channel on Monday.”Do they have to be killed?” he asked. “They have to be. And will be.”The Kremlin, however, has said it would not participate in conversations about lifting the moratorium on the death penalty.”We are not taking part in this discussion at the moment,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a daily briefing.Capital punishment is legal in Russia but no executions have been carried out since 1996, when President Boris Yeltsin issued a decree establishing a de-facto moratorium, which was explicitly confirmed by the Constitutional Court in 1999.Russia’s penal code currently allows for the death penalty for five offences: murder, genocide, and attempted murder of either a judge, police officer or state official.France’s Macron: Group behind Moscow attack also attempted several actions in FranceMonday 25 March 2024 10:30 , Tom WatlingFrench President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Russia was victim of an Islamist attack and that the group behind the Moscow shootings had also attempted to commit several acts in France recently.“This group also tried to commit several actions on our own soil” Macron told reporters during a visit to French Guyana.The French government on Sunday raised its terror alert warning to its highest level following the shootings in Moscow.French President Emmanuel Macron said Isis-K had attempted several attacks in France (AP)The attack in Moscow reminds us of the need for cooler heads to prevailMonday 25 March 2024 10:06 , Tom WatlingLetters: The attack in Moscow reminds us of the need for cooler heads to prevailSome more information on the suspected gunmanMonday 25 March 2024 09:30 , Tom WatlingTwo of the four suspects charged with carrying out the concert hall attack in Moscow that killed more than 130 people have pleaded guilty in a Russian court.Moscow’s Basmanny District Court formally charged Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, 32, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, 30, Mukhammadsobir Faizov, 19, and Shamsidin Fariduni, 25, with committing a terrorist attack.The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.The court ordered that the men, all of whom are citizens of Tajikistan, be held in pre-trial custody until May 22.Court officials said Mirzoyev and Rachabalizoda admitted guilt for the attack after being charged.Shamsidin Fariduni sits in a glass cage in the Basmanny District Court on Sunday evening (AFP via Getty Images)Suspected gunman appear in Moscow court bearing marks of tortureMonday 25 March 2024 08:53 , Tom WatlingThe four suspected gunmen in the terrorist attack in Moscow on Friday that killed 137 people and injured more than 150 others have appeared in a Moscow court bearing the marks of torture.One of the suspects, identified as Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, was pictured with a cloth over his right ear after footage showed masked men cutting off his ear.Mukhammadsobir Faizov, a second suspect, was brought into the court half-conscious and in a wheelchair.The other two suspects were seen with heavily swollen faces and black eyes.The Russian authorties have claimed that the four men sustained their injuries during their detainment.Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, a suspect in the Crocus City Hall shooting on Friday, sits in a glass cage in Moscow with a heavily bandaged right ear (AP)Mukhammadsobir Faizov, a suspect in Friday’s shooting at the Crocus City Hall shooting, is brought into the Basmanny District Court in a wheelchair (AP)Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, a suspect in the shooting attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue, sits behind a glass wall of an enclosure for defendants at the Basmanny district court in Moscow (EPA)Shamsidin Fariduni appeared the least wounded of the four suspects but his face was heavily swollen (AFP via Getty Images)Massacre, manhunt and mourning: How Russia’s deadliest attack in years unfolded over the weekendMonday 25 March 2024 08:14 , Tom WatlingThe auditorium at Crocus City Hall was about three-quarters full, with the crowd waiting to see Picnic, a band popular since the Soviet days of the early 1980s. But the concert was sold out in the 6,200-seat hall, so some of the audience was still likely getting food or were shedding their heavy coats in the cloakroom.It was 7-10 minutes before the start of the show, scheduled for 8 p.m., said concertgoer Dave Primov.Then came the popping sounds.Massacre, manhunt and mourning: How Russia’s deadliest attack in years unfolded over the weekendRussia casts doubt on Isis claim of responsibility for Moscow attackMonday 25 March 2024 07:42 , Adam WithnallRussia is casting doubt on Isis’s claim of responsibility for the attack on a Moscow concert hall that killed 137 people on Friday night.The militant group has released what it says is footage of the attack and says it carried it out to target “Christians” gathered at Crocus City Hall, with the US saying it has intelligence to confirm Isis was responsible.But Vladimir Putin has not publicly mentioned Isis in statements vowing revenge for the attack, and has instead claimed the gunmen tried to escape to Ukraine.Putin said some people on “the Ukrainian side” had been prepared to spirit the gunmen across the border. Russia has a vested interest in blaming Ukraine for the attack, while Kyiv has strongly denied having any role in it.In an article for the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper on Monday, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called into question US assertions that Isis carried out the attack.“Attention – a question to the White House: Are you sure it’s Isis? Might you think again about that?” Zakharova said.Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (AP)Zakharova said the United States was using Isis as a “bogeyman” to cover its “wards” in Kyiv and reminded readers that Washington supported the “mujahideen” fighters who fought Soviet forces in the 1980s.Jeremy Hunt urges UK to remain ‘vigilant’ following Moscow concert hall attackMonday 25 March 2024 07:00 , Tara CobhamJeremy Hunt says the UK needs to remain “vigilant” following a terrorist attack on a Russian concert hall.Islamic State have claimed responsibility for the attack, and the chancellor says other nations should “absolutely” be worried if it’s confirmed to be true, despite the UK’s “impressive” intelligence services.“They are utterly indiscriminate”, Hunt said of Islamic State’s capabilities.“We have to make sure that we’re on our guard.”133 people have been confirmed dead following the shooting at Crocus City Hall, with many others injured.Sophie Thompson reports:Jeremy Hunt urges UK to remain ‘vigilant’ following Moscow concert hall attackHow gunfire, panic and a huge blaze turned packed concert into massacreMonday 25 March 2024 06:00 , Tara CobhamOn a Friday night in a northwestern suburb of Moscow, hundreds of music lovers were waiting in anticipation for a performance from progressive rock band Picnic.As the clamour and noise grew louder for the artists to take to the stage at Crocus City Hall, a sprawling shopping mall and music venue, a devastating act of violence was carried out that left more than 130 people dead and dozens more injured. It is the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, when terrorists killed 334 people.At around 7.40pm a white Renault car pulled up outside the 6,200-capacity concert hall. Men dressed in military fatigues exited the vehicle, burst into the foyer and started shooting. Harrowing videos posted on Russian social media showed the attackers calmly walking through the venue and shooting concert-goers at point-blank range as they attempted to flee or tried to find a place to hide.Joe Middleton reports:Moscow attack: How gunfire, panic and huge blaze turned packed concert into massacreISIS-K: What to know about the group that claims Moscow attackMonday 25 March 2024 05:00 , Tara CobhamISIS-K, a regional division of ISIS, has claimed responsibility for the Moscow concert hall attack that left at least 133 people dead.Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), named after a region that included parts of Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, have garnered a reputation for brutality – including claiming responsibility for a suicide bombing at Russia’s Kabul embassy in 2022.Putin has become central to the group’s propaganda in recent years, and appears to have firmly kept Russia as one of its main targets.Sophie Thompson reports:ISIS-K: What to know about the group that claims Moscow attackZelensky rejects Putin’s claims that Ukraine was involved in Moscow attackMonday 25 March 2024 04:00 , Tara CobhamUkrainian president, Zelensky, has released a video statement rejecting Vladimir Putin’s claims that the country had involvement in the recent Moscow concert massacre.Despite ISIS claiming responsibility for the attack, the Kremlin still found a way to point the finger at Ukraine.“Instead of taking care of his Russian citizens and addressing them, this duffer Putin remained silent for a day, thinking about how to link this to Ukraine”, he told followers.“Those hundreds of thousands of Russians who are now killing on Ukrainian soil would certainly be enough to deter any terrorists.”Sophie Thompson reports:Zelensky rejects Putin’s claims that Ukraine was involved in Moscow attackRussia’s soccer friendly against Paraguay put off indefinitely due to attackMonday 25 March 2024 03:00 , Tara CobhamThe Russian Football Union said Saturday that its team’s friendly against Paraguay scheduled for Moscow on Monday has been put off indefinitely due to the terrorist attack near the capital.At least 133 people were killed after gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons in a suburban concert hall near Moscow on Friday. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.Officials said the match originally scheduled for Moscow’s VTB Arena would be played at a later date.Read more here:Russia’s soccer friendly against Paraguay put off indefinitely due to Moscow terrorist attackUS-backed Syrian force that defeated IS warns group still poses international threatMonday 25 March 2024 02:00 , Tara CobhamThe US-backed force that defeated the Islamic State group in Syria five years ago warned Saturday that the extremists still pose grave dangers throughout the world and called on the international community to find solutions for thousands of fighters still held in its jails.The statement by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to mark the fifth anniversary since IS lost the last sliver of its self-declared caliphate came hours after the group claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack in Moscow that left 133 people dead.On March 23, 2019, SDF fighters captured the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz marking the end of the extremist group’s caliphate that was carved out of large parts of Syria and Iraq. During its rule, IS brutalized millions of people and attracted thousands of men and women from around the world to join it ranks.Bassem Mroue reports:US-backed Syrian force that defeated IS 5 years ago warns group still poses international threatUS embassy in Russia warned Americans about imminent attack weeks agoMonday 25 March 2024 01:00 , Tara CobhamThe US embassy had warned Americans that “extremists” had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow weeks ahead of the deadly strike on concertgoers by Islamic State militants on Friday that resulted in the deaths of 93 people.In the deadliest attack in Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, gunmen sprayed civilians with bullets just before Soviet-era rock group “Picnic” was to perform to a full house at the 6,200-seat the Crocus City Hall just west of the capital.The US embassy on 7 March repeatedly urged all American citizens to leave Russia immediately, giving no further details about the nature of the threat, but said people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings.Rituparna Chatterjee reports:US embassy in Russia warned Americans about imminent attack by ‘extremists’ weeks agoRussia’s Foreign Ministry says Spanish reporter denied a visa was invited to stayMonday 25 March 2024 00:00 , Tara CobhamRussia‘s Foreign Ministry says it issued the necessary documents for a Spanish journalist to stay in the country although the reporter claims he was forced to leave because his visa was not renewed.Xavier Colas of the newspaper El Mundo is the latest foreign journalist to have left Russia after visas were not continued. The cases come amid a crackdown on media that has intensified since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.Colas said he was forced to leave Russia on Wednesday, a day after authorities refused to renew the visa.Read more here:Russia’s Foreign Ministry says Spanish reporter denied a visa was invited to stayRussia charges suspects with acts of terrorismSunday 24 March 2024 23:19 , Holly EvansMoscow’s Basmanny district court has charged four suspects with acts of terrorism in connection with the attack, naming them as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni, and Muhammadsobir Fayzov, according to Moscow courts’ official Telegram channel.It said the men, identified by Russian media as all being citizens of the ex-Soviet republic of Tajikistan living in Russia, would be remanded in pre-trial custody until May 22. Three of the four had pleaded guilty to all charges, it said.After unverified and brutal videos of the suspects’ interrogations circulated on social media, courtroom images published by Russian media showed one suspect was brought in on a wheelchair apparently missing an eye, another had a bandage where his right ear should be, another had a black eye and a ripped plastic bag around his neck, and a fourth suspect with a swollen face seemed disoriented and struggling to keep his eyes open.Putin vows revenge as Moscow reels from huge terror attackSunday 24 March 2024 23:00 , Tara CobhamVladimir Putin has vowed revenge after Moscow was hit by a devastating terror attack, promising that anyone involved in the assault will be “justly and inevitably punished”.However, his claims that the terrorists, who opened fire at a concert hall and killed at least 133 people, had been heading towards Ukraine have been dismissed as “absurd”.The extremist group Isis have claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred on Friday evening at Crocus City Hall when a group of gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons.Holly Evans reports:Putin vows revenge as Moscow reels from huge terror attack