A court in Moscow has extended the detention and released the names of five more men suspected of being involved in the terror attack at the Crocus City entertainment center that claimed 145 lives near the Russian capital in late March.
The press service for Moscow's courts of common jurisdiction said on August 29 that the pretrial detention of Shahromjon Gadoev, Zubaidullo Ismoilov, Husein Hamidov, Mustaqim Soliev, and Umedjon Soliev had been extended until at least December 1.
Their names in the high-profile case had not been made public previously.
The men are accused of membership in a terrorist organization, preparing and implementing a terrorist attack, illegally possessing firearms, and illegally manufacturing explosive devices.
The attack at the Crocus City hall took place on March 22, 2024. A group of armed men rushed into the entertainment center where a concert was to be held, opened fire on civilians, and set the building on fire before fleeing.
Some 145 people, including six children, died in the attack, while more than 550 were wounded or injured.
In May, the chief of the Federal Security Service, Aleksandr Bortnikov, said more than 20 people suspected of involvement into the attack had been detained.
Later, the authorities said 12 men had been arrested in the case.
On August 16, a Moscow court extended the pretrial detention of four Tajik citizens -- Dalerjon Mirzoev, Saidakram Rajabalizoda, Shamsiddin Fariduni, and Muhammadsobir Faizov, who are suspected of carrying out the attack.
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Three other natives of Tajikistan, all members of one family -- Isroil Islomov, Dilovar Islomov, and Aminjon Islomov, as well as an ethnic Uzbek from Kyrgyzstan and Russian citizen Alisher Kasimov, were arrested for allegedly providing the attackers with accommodation, transportation, and communication.
An offshoot of the extremist Islamic State group known as Islamic State-Khorasan claimed responsibility for Russia’s worst terrorist attack in two decades.
Tajik authorities have officially condemned the treatment of the Tajik suspects amid allegations that the detainees were tortured in custody.
SEE ALSO: What A Missed Terror Warning Says About U.S.-Russian Ties And Putin's ThinkingThe Kremlin has insisted without evidence that Ukraine, with the help of the United States, was responsible for the attack. Both Kyiv and Washington have dismissed the accusation.
The attack was seen as a major failure for Russia's security and intelligence services. The United States has said it gave specific information ahead of time, warning of a possible terrorist attack. Iran also reportedly provided a tip ahead of time.