In a recent development concerning the case of plotting an explosion in the FSB building on Lubyanka, a Moscow court has handed down sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years in prison to five Tajiks and one Dagestani. The severity of the verdict echoes the gravity of their involvement in planning a terrorist attack in May 2022.
The individuals sentenced include citizens of Tajikistan—Manuchehr and Rajabali Buriev, Abdumalik Samiev, Samandar Toshmurodov, and Abdukodir Toirov—alongside Russian-born Gadzhimurad Gasanaliev.
Fines ranging from 600,000 to a million rubles were imposed on all the defendants by the court. The legal process further extends from a previous ruling by the Moscow Regional Military Court, which sentenced the same six individuals to prison terms between 12 to 18 years for planning a terrorist attack and illegal possession of explosives, among other charges.
While four of the accused admitted guilt, two pleaded partially guilty during the trial. Investigative reports revealed the defendants’ intentions to detonate a bomb inside a minibus in the Moscow suburb of Lyubertsy in 2016. Additionally, authorities claimed their allegiance to the extremist group Islamic State (IS), intending to join IS militants in Syria post the planned attack.
This case reflects a larger concern regarding individuals from Russia and former Soviet republics joining extremist groups in conflict zones like Syria and Iraq. Rights activists in Russia have raised concerns about the treatment and legal representation of migrants from Central Asian states, citing inadequate protection against unjust treatment by authorities.
As the legal proceedings unfold, this case stands as a stark reminder of the vigilance required to counter terrorism and the ongoing challenges surrounding effective legal representation and protection for individuals involved in such cases.
