MOSCOW, March 12 (Reuters) - A Russian military court handed down life sentences on Thursday to four Tajik men and 11 accomplices over their involvement in a mass shooting that killed 149 people at a
Russia Sentences Tajik Attackers to Life for Devastating Concert Hall Shooting
Life Sentences Handed Down for Crocus City Hall Attack
Details of the Sentencing
MOSCOW, March 12 (Reuters) - A Russian military court handed down life sentences on Thursday to four Tajik men and 11 accomplices over their involvement in a mass shooting that killed 149 people at a concert hall near Moscow two years ago, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
Prosecution and Charges
Prosecutors charged 19 people in connection with the shooting spree at the Crocus City Hall on March 22, 2024 - the deadliest such attack in Russia in two decades. The Islamic State-Khorasan, or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility.
Additional Sentences
The four other defendants were given sentences ranging from 19 to 22 years in prison, Russia's RIA state news agency reported.
Trial Proceedings and Pleas
It was not immediately clear how the defendants pleaded or whether they would appeal. Their trial was held behind closed doors, as is customary with such cases in Russia.
Background on ISIS-K and Regional Security Concerns
ISIS-K is the Afghan offshoot of the militant group that once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria. It has been linked to several other plotted attacks in southern Russia and Azerbaijan in recent years, a trend that has alarmed intelligence services.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Alex Richardson)
