A Russian court on Friday, August 16 extended the custody of four men suspected of carrying out a deadly terror attack on a Moscow concert hall, and filed more charges against them. A judge at Moscow's Basmanny court extended detention for the suspects until November 22 as the investigation continues.
Video footage of the closed hearing posted by the court showed the suspects handcuffed and seated in a glass-walled cage in the court, watched by masked guards. They were led out of court bent double, followed by a guard with a dog.
More than 140 people were killed when gunmen stormed the Crocus City Hall on March 22 before setting the building on fire in the most deadly attack seen in Russia for two decades.
The men have been charged with carrying out a "terrorist act" and causing death as part of an organized group, punishable by a life sentence. The judge on Friday read out additional charges of participation in a "terrorist" organization and undergoing training to carry out "terrorist activity", Russian news agencies reported.
The four suspects were detained in the western Bryansk region hours after the attack, having allegedly fled by car from the scene.
The head of the FSB security service, Alexander Bortnikov, has claimed that the attack was planned and financed by Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), while also alleging Ukrainian involvement. The IS-K group has claimed responsibility for the massacre, saying it is the deadliest it has ever carried out on European soil.
Russia has arrested 20 people in total over the attack, 18 of whom are in custody, the Interfax news agency reported citing court documents. The head of Russia's Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, has called for lifting the moratorium on the death penalty in this case.