A court in Moscow has sentenced several men from Tajikistan to life imprisonment for their role in a deadly concert hall attack that killed 149 people earlier this year, in one of the worst terrorist incidents in Russia in decades.
Russian investigators said the attackers were linked to the extremist group Islamic State and carried out the assault at the Crocus City Hall during a large public event.
According to authorities, the gunmen opened fire on the crowd before setting parts of the venue on fire, causing chaos and leading to a high number of casualties. Many victims died from gunshot wounds while others were trapped by the flames and smoke that spread through the building.
Russian security forces arrested the suspects shortly after the attack following a large scale manhunt. Prosecutors said the men had received support from extremist networks connected to Islamic State and had planned the operation in advance.
During the trial, the court found the defendants guilty of terrorism related offences, including mass murder and participation in an organised extremist group. The judge ruled that the severity of the crime warranted life sentences.
The attack shocked the country and triggered a nationwide security crackdown as authorities moved to dismantle extremist networks and tighten security at public venues.
The massacre was one of the deadliest attacks claimed by Islamic State outside the Middle East in recent years, highlighting the continued threat posed by the group despite military losses in its former strongholds.
Russian officials have said investigations are ongoing to determine whether other individuals or networks were involved in planning or supporting the attack.
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