Moscow Court Convicts 19 in Crocus City Hall Attack

A Moscow military court convicted 19 individuals on Thursday for their roles in the March 22, 2024, attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue near the Russian capital, where gunmen killed 149 people and wounded more than 600 in the deadliest assault in the country in two decades.

The assault targeted concertgoers waiting for a performance by the Soviet-era rock band Picnic. Four Tajik nationals—Shamsidin Fariduni, Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Makhammadsobir Fayzov, and Saidakrami Rachabalizoda—entered the venue armed with rifles and opened fire before dousing the building with flammable liquid and setting it ablaze. The fire trapped many inside, contributing to the high death toll, which included six children. A provincial branch of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility shortly after the attack, stating it was carried out by its fighters.

The trial, which began in August 2025, was held behind closed doors in a military court, a standard procedure for terrorism cases in Russia due to security concerns. Prosecutors charged the defendants with terrorism-related offenses. The four gunmen, aged 20 to 31 at the time and working in jobs such as taxi driving and construction,...