130 people killed: ISIS claimed responsibility for a shooting attack at a suburban Moscow concert hall
Vice President Kamala Harris has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to blame Ukraine for the attack at a concert hall near Moscow, which resulted in the deaths of over 130 people.
During an interview with ABC’s Rachel Scott, Vice President Harris reiterated that ISIS was responsible for the shooting attack that triggered a fire at the Crocus City concert hall in Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow. Russia observed a day of national mourning on Sunday, and the death toll is expected to rise.
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“Vladimir Putin is already attempting to connect this to Ukraine and claim that Ukraine is accountable. Does the U.S. possess any evidence to support that?” Scott asked during the interview aired on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
“No. And first, let me start by saying what has happened is an act of terrorism and the number of people who’ve been killed is a tragedy, and we should all send our condolences to those families,” Harris responded. “No, there is no whatsoever any evidence. And in fact, what we know to be the case is that ISIS is, by all accounts, responsible for what happened.”
In a nighttime address, Putin described the attack as “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act” and stated that Russian authorities apprehended four suspects on Saturday as they attempted to flee to Ukraine through a designated route on the Ukrainian side of the border.
Russian media broadcasted videos purportedly depicting the detention and interrogation of the suspects, one of whom confessed on camera that he was recruited by an unidentified assistant to an Islamic preacher through a messaging app and was paid to participate in the attack.
Kyiv vehemently denied any involvement, while the Islamic State group’s affiliate in Afghanistan claimed responsibility.
Putin didn’t mention ISIS in his speech to the nation, and Kyiv accused him and other Russian politicians of falsely linking Ukraine to the assault to stoke fervor for Russia’s fight in Ukraine, which recently entered its third year. U.S. intelligence officials said they had confirmed the ISIS affiliate’s claim.
“ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
Two weeks before the attack on the Russian concert hall, the U.S. embassy issued a warning to Americans advising them to avoid large gatherings, including concerts, due to imminent plans for an attack by extremists.
“The Embassy is monitoring reports indicating that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts. U.S. citizens are advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours,” stated the March 7 alert.