Russia yesterday probed the potential motives of the alleged bomber behind a blast in the Saint Petersburg metro that killed 14 people, as the grieving city mourned its dead.
Investigators have identified the attacker as 22-year-old Akbarjon Djalilov, a Russian national born in Kyrgyzstan, saying he had also planted a bomb at another station that was successfully defused.
Authorities searched Djalilov’s residence and said closed-circuit TV footage showed him leaving his home ahead of the attack “with a bag and rucksack.”
Photo: AFP
Russian Investigative Committee boss Alexander Bastrykin ordered officials to look into any potential “links” between Djalilov and the Islamic State group.
No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
However, Islamic State militants — including foreign fighters from ex-Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus region — have repeatedly threatened an attack on Russian soil in revenge for Moscow’s military backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
In the first sign of a crackdown on suspected Islamists since the attack, authorities said they had detained in Petersburg six alleged “terrorist” recruiters from central Asia, working for groups including the Islamic State group, but added that there was no proof yet of any links to Djalilov.
Russian forensic experts found Djalilov’s DNA on a bag left at the Vosstaniya Square subway station, a statement from the Investigative Committee said.
A more powerful bomb was discovered there and defused soon after the explosion on Monday afternoon on a train that had just departed another station, Sennaya Square.
The DNA evidence, as well as closed-circuit TV footage, led investigators to believe that Djhalilov had blown himself up and had wanted to bomb the Vosstaniya Square station, the statement said.
There was some indication that Djhalilov had not acted alone. Russian investigators were seeking a young man and woman from central Asia, according to some news reports, but there was no official confirmation.
Djalilov’s distraught parents yesterday flew into Saint Petersburg from their home city of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan.
Authorities in the mainly Muslim nation say Djalilov and his parents are ethnic Uzbeks with Russian citizenship and that Djalilov has lived in Russia since he was 16.
They said Djalilov flew back to Russia on March 3 after a visit to the country.
There was no confirmation by Russian officials of any of these details.
As the authorities probed the circumstances of the attack, they also released the identities of most of the victims of the attack, as dozens of injured remained in hospital.
The ages of those killed ranged from about 17 to 71, with nationals of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan reported among the dead.
A memorial service was to be held for those killed at a cathedral in Saint Petersburg yesterday, the second day of national mourning over the attack.
The attack has stunned Russia’s second-largest city and posed tough security issues as it gears up to host the opening game and final of the Confederation Cup soccer tournament in June, ahead of the country holding the FIFA World Cup next year.
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