Photo: TASS
Turkish authorities may extradite to Russia several suspects wanted in connection with the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, according to TASS, citing attorney Igor Trunov.
Trunov, whose law firm represents 115 victims in the case, said those hiding in Turkey include the brother of the attacker Mukhammadsobir Faizov and Umedjon Soliev, who was allegedly responsible for arming the attackers. Both have been designated as terrorists by Russian authorities.
“Turkish law enforcement agencies may extradite all suspects in the Crocus case to the Russian Federation, including the brother of the direct perpetrator of the attack, Mukhammadsobir Faizov,” Trunov said.
He noted that Faizov’s brother had been living in Turkey before being placed on the wanted list. The two men who carried out the attack—Saidakrami Rachabalizoda and Shamsiddin Fariduni—allegedly stayed with him before traveling to Moscow.
Trunov added that Tajikistan has issued arrest warrants for nine individuals from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, including arms supplier Zubaydullo Ismoilov, who had previously been convicted in Tajikistan for publicly calling for constitutional change. The names of the other suspects were not disclosed.
The trial in the Crocus City Hall case is scheduled to begin on August 4. Meanwhile, investigators have added to the case evidence including weapons, clothing, the attackers’ car, video footage of the police chase in Russia’s Bryansk region, smartphone recordings from concertgoers, and a dashcam video from a passing vehicle.
According to case materials, police fired on the suspects’ car tires during the pursuit after they refused to stop. Despite the damage, the driver continued on the wrong side of the road and ultimately crashed into a bus carrying 14 passengers. Thanks to the actions of the bus driver, a head-on collision was avoided, and no one on the bus was injured. The suspects fled into the woods after the crash.
The terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, just outside Moscow, took place on March 22, 2024, shortly before a scheduled concert by the rock band Piknik. Four armed men in camouflage stormed the venue and opened fire on the crowd. They then set the concert hall ablaze, engulfing all four floors and the roof before fleeing in the same vehicle they had arrived in.
The attack killed 149 people, with one person still missing and another 609 injured. Damages are estimated at 6 billion rubles.
A total of 27 individuals have been charged in the case, including the four attackers, three people who sold them a car, and others who rented them an apartment or transferred money. The investigation involves more than 1,700 victims and 800 witnesses. Russia’s Investigative Committee has claimed the attack was carried out in the interests of Ukraine’s government, with the aim of destabilizing Russia’s political situation.
