Putin: Radical Muslims are behind attack, investigation into client

Russian President Putin is now accusing radical Muslims of being behind the attack on an events center near Moscow, in which at least 137 people were killed.

Shortly after the attack last Friday evening, the Islamic State-Khorasan terrorist organization claimed responsibility. According to the president, the question remains who ordered the attack, which he states is consistent with Ukraine’s conduct of war.

It is the first time that Putin has pointed out the background of the perpetrators, although he did not mention the name of the IS branch. The terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack via its Telegram channel and released images of the massacre that were allegedly taken by the perpetrators.

According to an American official, information available to the American security service also shows that the terrorist group is behind the attack.

Shortly after the attack, the Russians already pointed in the direction of Kyiv. According to authorities, the perpetrators were caught while on their way to Ukraine, where they are said to have contacts. But no evidence of this was provided.

Once again, Putin does not rule out Ukrainian responsibility. “This atrocity may be just one link in a whole series of attempts by those who have been at war with our country since 2014 at the hands of the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv,” he said. “It is important to answer the question why the terrorists tried to leave for Ukraine after their crime. Who was waiting for them there?”

But Kyiv denies any involvement and calls the suggestion from Putin and other high-ranking Russians “absurd”.

Four suspects appeared in court yesterday badly damaged:

Yesterday, four suspects in the attack were arraigned in court. All four had facial injuries and one of the suspects appeared to be missing an eye. The four, who according to the Russians are from Tajikistan, were probably severely beaten after their arrest.

The seven other people arrested for the terrorist attacks according to the Russian security service FSB have not yet appeared in court. Two suspects are said to have made a confession, but it is not clear whether they were put under pressure. When asked by journalists about this, Kremlin spokesman Peskov did not say anything.