One of the 'Crocus' Attackers Trained in Turkey by ISIS

A source from Sputnik-Tajikistan has reported that one of the alleged perpetrators of the terrorist attack at the 'Crocus' center near Moscow, Shamsidin Fariduni, is linked to Tajik extremist organizations in Turkey. According to the source, the man received training in Istanbul to carry out a terrorist attack.

As reported by Sputnik-Tajikistan, in early 2024, the man traveled to Istanbul, after which he began to show signs of extremism in conversations with family and friends. During this trip, the publication's source claims he learned from “mentors” who had fought in Afghanistan and Syria within the ranks of the Islamic State.

The source also noted that suspects connected to ISIS were arrested in Turkey thanks to information provided by Shamsidin Fariduni during his interrogation. Today, on March 31, the Turkish Ministry of Interior announced that 51 suspects were detained across 21 provinces within four days.

Shamsidin Fariduni served a six-year sentence for the rape of a sixth-grader when he was 16 years old, according to the source. He was released in 2020, moved to Moscow, worked as a laborer and builder, and returned to Tajikistan two years ago.

He was taken into custody the day after the attack, on March 23, along with three other alleged attackers. During the interrogation, he claimed he received instructions from a “propagandist's assistant” and was paid 500,000 rubles to shoot people at the 'Crocus'. Shamsidin Fariduni was spotted in the concert hall on March 7. According to one of the employees, he was wandering around with a weapon, looking around and asking what was happening in the building.

Nine people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the terror attack that claimed 144 lives. On the night of March 23, media reported that the terrorist group had claimed responsibility for the attack. Meanwhile, the Russian Investigative Committee, citing testimonies from the detainees, stated that the perpetrators were promised a reward after the attack in Kyiv.