Four Batalhajians detained in Crocus terrorist attack case

Law enforcement agencies detained four members of the Batalhajin terrorist organization (banned in Russia), who helped to hide one of the criminals who supplied weapons to the militants for the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall. This was reported by the source of "Izvestia" on December 4.

It is specified that 22-year-old Khusen Kulaev, 27-year-old Mahmud Kartoev, 28-year-old Mansur Tochiev and 35-year-old Magomed Santaliev are among the detainees. The defendants helped Batyr Kulaev (listed as a terrorist and extremist), one of the members of the criminal group that provided weapons to the terrorists who attacked the concert hall.

According to the interlocutor, the law enforcement agencies searched the suspects' apartments. They found weapons and ammunition in the possession of one of the members of the Batalhajin terrorist organization. The law enforcers also found correspondence with the leaders of the association, based on which it follows that the heads of the organization actively contributed to the transfer abroad of accomplices of the terrorist attack in "Crocus".

The terrorist attack in "Crocus City Hall" took place on March 22. Terrorists in camouflage burst into the building, shooting and setting fire to the concert hall. The attack killed 145 people and injured 551.

Russia's Investigative Committee (IC) said that the terrorists who committed the attack after the crime were supposed to cross the border between Russia and Ukraine, come to Kiev and receive the promised reward. During interrogations, the accused confirmed that their actions were supervised by a certain man through voice messages in the messenger Telegram.

A criminal case has been opened under Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Terrorist act"). In April, Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov said that there was an obvious Ukrainian trace in the case of the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall. The head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov, said on May 24 that more than 20 people, including perpetrators and accomplices, had been detained in the case. All of them have been taken into custody and their arrest has been extended several times.