The evidence points to Chechen militants being behind the Moscow Metro attacks
The Islamic extremists from the North Caucasus have allegedly accepted responsibility for the bombings. This information has been confirmed by Russia’s top security official.
“According to the preliminary information, these acts were committed by terror groups linked to the North Caucasus. We’ll consider this themain version of the events as the bodies of two female suicide bombers who were residing in the North Caucasus were found at the sites”, says Aleksandr Bortnikov, Director of Federal Security Service.
Sources inside the Russian Interior ministry suggest that the person behind the attacks is Doku Umarov, one of the country’s most wanted Chechen militants.
The forty-six year old is thought to have been among those who organized the Beslan school siege in 2004.
Along with the investigation in Moscow, another has begun in the South of Russia. Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov says he is ready to provide all possible assistance to the investigators.
“We are ready to cooperate. We have the experience, we have the law enforcement structures and special services – they know all the ins and outs. We all witnessed what these people did in the Chechen Republic: they're trying to scare ordinary people and undermine the rapidly expanding economy, locally and throughout the country”, said Kadyrov.
The latest attacks in the Moscow Metro are widely believed to be
for recent successful police and security forces’ operations in the North Caucasus.
for recent successful police and security forces’ operations in the North Caucasus.
Less than a month earlier, ten alleged militants accused in connection with the bombing of the Moscow to St Petersburg express train last November were arrested. That terror attack killed more than 2 dozen people.
Last month another three militant leaders in the North Caucasus were killed in a shootout with security services. One of them was thought to be a trainer for suicide bombers.
Law enforcers pursue possible causes of Moscow bombings
The death toll from the bomb attacks on two Moscow underground stations has reached 38 people. More than 70 others were injured in the explosions during the crowded morning rush hour.
Many of those wounded remain in a critical condition. Tuesday, 30th March, has been declared a day of mourning in the Russian capital.
Officials say the explosives were detonated by two female suicide bombers likely to be connected with North Caucasus terrorist groups.
“We consider this the main version of events, as the bodies of two female suicide bombers who were residing in the North Caucasus were found at the scenes,” said the director of the Federal Security Service, Aleksandr Bortnikov.
The two Metro stations targeted were Lubyanka and Park Kultury – both in the center of Moscow.
According to the city’s mayor, Yury Luzhkov, the explosions “were specifically timed for the moment the train was nearing the station to cause the most damage.”
Russia's Federal Security Service says the women used explosives packed with bolts and iron rods to hurt as many people as possible.
Moscow City Public Prosecutor Yury Semin set forth the sequence of events:
“At 7:52am, following the train’s arrival at Lubyanka Metro station, while passengers left the train and another set of passengers walked in, a blast occurred. Its power was equal to about two kilos of TNT. We can assume that the explosive device was attached to the attacker’s body.
“About half an hour later, another blast hit the Park Kultury station. Explosive experts are currently investigating the circumstances. The injured people have been evacuated from the scene and are being given treatment. It is not the right time to give the exact number of fatalities.”
Prosecutor Yury Semin's statement Moscow Metro |
Earlier, news agencies reported a third explosive belt to have been found at the Park Kultury Metro station, but police refuted this claim.
Oleg Yelnikov, spokesman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, stated that, “Due to the terrorist acts, Moscow police have been put on high alert. Supplementary measures to maintain security in public places are being implemented. The number of police patrols has been increased. We are urging everyone to report immediately if they see any suspicious objects or people.”
Statement of the spokesman of the Interior Ministry of the Russian FederationResue efforts
There have been reports that the suicide-bombers had different targets in mind but got lost in the Metro.
CCTV footage shows the two suicide bombers entering the Yugo-Zapadnaya Metro station – along with two other women.
According to sources, the intended targets of the attacks were the Interior Ministry near the Oktyabrskaya Metro station and the Federal Security Service building near Lubyanka.
The terrorists may have lost their way in the Metro and been forced to change targets.
It’s been a very intense day for the Emergencies Ministry, which had to assure people were promptly evacuated from the scenes of the tragedy and all the injured taken to hospitals.
As it was necessary to make way for the rescue equipment and ambulances, some of the roads were blocked.
That, in turn, created a major traffic crisis in the capital, where millions of people commute to work each day.
“All services have been very efficient and all the victims have been moved to 12 hospitals,” – reported Emergencies Minister Sergey Shoigu. “All emergency services took part, including 342 personnel, 100 vehicles and 2 helicopters that delivered the injured to hospitals. Everything that could be done on the part of the Emergencies Ministry and the Health Ministry is being done, including insuring that they have enough blood supplies and medicine. All the hotlines are open and relatives have been calling a lot. We have also insured that the people that have been using the metro or other means of public transport are well informed of the situation.”
Some taxi drivers tried to take advantage of the situation and raised fares more than ten-fold. This caused widespread public anger and prompted Prime Minister Putin to address small businesses, asking them not to profit from other people's dire need.The call was heard among the web community, as bloggers got into their cars and offered people rides for no payment.
130 free buses were laid on to shuttle people along the route normally served by the closed Metro section.
All stations have since been reopened.
“Blasts – revenge for recent anti-terrorist operations”
Georgy Engelhardt, a political expert on Islam, says the attacks could have been in response to recent operations in which high-ranking militants were killed.
“One of the most reasonable explanations is that the terrorists needed to demonstrate their capacities right after the number of problems and losses they suffered during March. They lost quite [well-]known leaders in their ranks. It was received as a serious set-back to the whole jihad movement in the region,” Engelhardt told RT.
Recently, security services have successfully eliminated a number of terrorist leaders, such as Anzor Astemirov, Salambek Akhmadov and Said Buryatsky.
Dmitry Suslov of the council of Foreign and Defense Policy believes this terror attack happened because international terrorist activities has increased in the northern Caucasus as “the effectiveness of state institutions such as police and special forces have been devastated”.
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