Suspects of Moscow Concert Hall Massacre Go on Trial 

Russia on Monday began trying 19 suspects accused of taking part in last year’s shooting attack at a Moscow concert hall that killed 149 people and wounded more than 600 in an incident that led to a severe crackdown on Central Asian migrants in the country, the Associated Press reported. 

On March 22, 2024, four gunmen, all identified as citizens of the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan, stormed the Crocus City Hall on the outskirts of Moscow, opened fire on concertgoers awaiting a performance by a popular rock band, then set the venue ablaze, the Guardian wrote. 

Islamic State-K, a branch of the terror group that is active in Central and South Asia, claimed responsibility for the attack. The four men, part of the 1.5 million Tajik people who have immigrated to Russia for work, were allegedly recruited and radicalized by the group. 

On Monday, the four suspects and 15 other alleged accomplices appeared in the military court, along with about 30 survivors. The proceedings were not made public.  

The attack fueled a fresh surge of anti-migrant sentiment across Russia, with Central Asian migrants facing a rise in police raids, detentions, and, sometimes, being forcibly conscripted to fight for Russia in Ukraine. 

The massacre stunned Russia and was largely viewed as a devastating security breach, with the country’s security forces distracted by the war in Ukraine and efforts to silence anti-war opposition at home.  

In the weeks before the attack, Western intelligence agencies had warned Russia of an imminent attack, warnings dismissed by the government.