Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 22

Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack

Closed Court Begins for 19 Suspects in Crocus City Hall Attack

The Second Western District Military Court in Moscow has begun preliminary closed-door proceedings for 19 suspects charged in the March 22, 2024, terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, according to Russian state agency TASS. The attack left 149 people dead and caused an estimated 6 billion rubles in damages. Court spokesperson Irina Zhirnova stated that the session would follow Article 234 of the Russian Criminal Procedure Code, meaning a single judge will preside over the preliminary hearing, which is not open to the public. “We will take unprecedented security measures,” she added. Federal security personnel are tasked with guarding the courtroom. The case will be heard by a three-judge panel. The evidence dossier spans more than 470 volumes and includes forensic materials and the results of over 200 expert examinations. A key issue still to be resolved is the trial venue: facilities at Moscow City Court are under renovation and cannot accommodate all parties involved in the high-profile case. The court has not yet determined whether the main trial will be open to the public and the media. Under Russian law, that decision will be made when the main hearing opens and the indictment is formally read. The court retains the right to close any session in the interest of security. The Prosecutor’s Case According to TASS’s summary of the prosecution’s case, two wanted Tajik nationals and several unidentified individuals allegedly acted “in the interests of Ukraine’s political leadership.” They are accused of organizing three cells of the extremist group “Vilayat Khorasan,” affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), and of recruiting 19 Tajik citizens, appealing to their religious beliefs. The defendants include Shamsiddin Fariduni, Dalerjon Mirzoev, Muhammadsobir Faizov, and Saidakram Muradali Rachabalizoda, all of whom are on Russia’s official list of banned terrorists. Prosecutors allege that Rachabalizoda, Faizov, Mirzoev, and Fariduni were instructed to carry out the armed assault and arson at Crocus City Hall. Other defendants, such as the Islomov brothers and Alisher Kasimov, allegedly provided financial and logistical support, including accommodations and vehicles. Hussein Medov, Jabrayil Aushev, and others are accused of manufacturing and delivering weapons and ammunition. The Soliev brothers, along with suspects Ismoilov, Gadoev, and Hamidov, reportedly helped transport arms to the attackers. Prosecutors say Rachabalizoda’s cellmates also contributed funds. Following the attack, the four main perpetrators attempted to flee to Ukraine but were apprehended in Russia’s Bryansk Region and later transferred to Moscow for trial. Security and Legal Implications The Crocus City Hall attack shocked the whole of Russia. In response, the military court is conducting the preliminary phase behind closed doors amid heightened security. The upcoming full trial will establish a timeline for the presentation of evidence by both the defense and prosecution. It will culminate in verdicts and, if found guilty, sentences under Russia’s anti-terrorism laws.

Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack

Detention Extended for Four Suspects in Moscow Crocus City Hall Attack

The Moscow City Court has extended the detention of four Tajik citizens accused of participating in the deadly terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in March. According to the court’s press service, the suspects will remain in custody for an additional three months and 28 days. The individuals, Fariduni Shamsiddin, Saidkrom Rachabalizoda, Dalerjon Mirzoev, and Muhammadsobir Faizov, have been named by Russian authorities as the primary perpetrators. They reportedly opened fire and set the concert venue ablaze on the evening of March 22. All four have been officially added to Russia’s federal list of terrorists and extremists. The attack, which occurred during a live performance at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, just outside Moscow, left 146 people dead. The gunmen used automatic weapons and later ignited a fire in the main concert area, making it one of the deadliest terrorist incidents in Russia in recent history. Russia’s Investigative Committee has charged 27 individuals in total in connection with the attack. Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin confirmed that all have been formally charged and that the investigation is ongoing. So far, 12 people have been arrested, with the principal suspects all identified as Tajik nationals. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Turkish prosecutors are also pursuing charges related to the attack. The Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office is seeking prison terms ranging from 7.5 to 15 years for five Central Asian nationals believed to be connected to the same network. Investigations in both Russia and Turkey are continuing as authorities work to uncover the full scope of the group responsible for the massacre.

Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack

Russia Sentences Kyrgyz Citizen for Justifying Crocus City Hall Attack

A 30-year-old Kyrgyz citizen has been convicted in Russia for publicly justifying the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall. The Second Western District Military Court found Abdinasir uulu Bekzat guilty of supporting the attackers, as reported by the Russian state news agency, TASS. According to the court ruling, “Abdinasir uulu Bekzat, who worked as an installer of low-current systems at Atrium LLC in Moscow, was found guilty of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - public calls to carry out terrorist activities using the internet. The court imposed a sentence of three years' imprisonment in a general-regime penal colony.” Additionally, the court banned Bekzat from administering websites for two years, confiscated the cell phone used to commit the crime, and ordered the destruction of the SIM card seized during his arrest. Bekzat was detained in November 2024 and required an interpreter from Russian into his native language during the trial. He fully admitted his guilt and cooperated with the investigation. Prosecutors had sought a four-year sentence, but the court counted his pre-trial detention as part of the term under the “day-for-day” formula. In early April 2024, Bekzat posted a comment under a video of the terrorists’ interrogation on the Telegram channel Migrants.ru, writing: “Beautiful guys, such a movement requires a huge spirit, it's a pity they got caught.” The charge against Bekzat carried a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison.

Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack

Tver Court Convicts Salokhiddin Ashurov for Fraudulent Registrations Linked to Crocus City Hall Terror Case

A court in Tver, Russia, has found Salokhiddin Ashurov guilty of fraudulently registering individuals, including Aminchon and Dilovar Islomov, who are defendants in the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack case. The verdict was reported by RIA Novosti, citing court documents. In April 2024, the Moscow District Court of Tver placed Ashurov in custody for his involvement in the fictitious registration of Russian citizens at his residential address. Among those registered were the Islomov brothers, Dilovar and Aminchon. By the summer, the case was transferred to the interdistrict court, which later forwarded it to a justice of the peace for review. Ashurov was convicted on 14 charges of fraudulent registration of Russian citizens. According to RIA Novosti sources, the Islomov family — comprising father Isroil and sons Dilovar and Aminchon — were implicated in the Crocus City Hall case. The investigation revealed that Dilovar had owned a Renault Symbol vehicle, which the attackers reportedly used to flee the crime scene before being detained in Russia's Bryansk region. Although Dilovar sold the car in February, the insurance policy remained under his name. The Islomov brothers, Russian citizens who lived in Tver and worked as taxi drivers, deny any involvement in the terrorist act. Their father, Isroil, is a Tajik citizen with a Russian residence permit. Initially, the brothers faced charges of committing a terrorist act, but in September 2024, the charges were reduced to aiding and abetting a terrorist act under Part 3 of Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code. The Russian Investigative Committee has charged 27 individuals in connection with the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in the Moscow Region, according to committee chairman Alexander Bastrykin. The case remains one of the highest-profile investigations in recent years, as authorities continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack

27 Defendants Charged in Crocus City Hall Terror Attack

The Russian Investigative Committee has formally charged 27 individuals in connection with the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in the Moscow Region. The announcement was made by Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee. “The most serious and tragic incident of last year was the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert hall, where 146 people were killed. The Main Investigative Department has charged 27 people as defendants in this case,” Bastrykin stated in an interview with Российская газета (Russian Newspaper). The attack occurred on March 22, 2024, at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, with the assailants opening fire with automatic weapons on people inside the building before setting the auditorium on fire. According to the authorities, the primary suspects in the case are citizens of Tajikistan. Reports indicate that twelve individuals have already been arrested in connection with the attack. Additionally, The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office had sought prison sentences ranging from 7.5 to 15 years for five Central Asian nationals accused of being involved in last spring’s terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall.

Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack

Istanbul Prosecutors Seek Lengthy Sentences for Suspects in Crocus City Attack

The Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office has demanded prison sentences ranging from 7.5 to 15 years for five Central Asians accused of involvement in last spring's terrorist attack on the Crocus City concert hall in Moscow. This information was reported by the Anadolu news agency. The detainees - identified as Hafizjon Usmanov, Muteullo Asoyev, Rahmatullo Solikov, Muhammadrahim Faizov, and Hamza Muhammed - are accused of providing instructions and logistical support to the perpetrators of the attack. They allegedly promised 800,000 rubles (approximately $7,240) and new identity documents in exchange for carrying out the attack. According to Anadolu, the suspects were in contact with Shamsiddin Fariduni and Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, who are believed to have been directly involved in the attack. One of the detainees reportedly shared an apartment in Istanbul’s Avcılar district with Fariduni. Evidence presented by prosecutors includes correspondence between one of the suspects and a perpetrator. In the messages, the suspect proposed planting a bomb at the Vegas shopping center, promising an advance payment of 100,000 rubles and an additional 700,000 rubles upon completion of the act. The terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall in March last year claimed the lives of 144 people and injured 551 others. The main suspects in the case are citizens of Tajikistan, with reports indicating that 12 individuals have been arrested in connection with the attack. The Istanbul investigation sheds further light on the broader network behind the attack, pointing to an international web of operatives and support personnel.