Türkiye files charges against five IS members linked to Moscow terror attack

The Istanbul Prosecutor's Office has filed charges against five members of the IS terrorist group, who were arrested in Türkiye for their relations with the perpetrators of the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert complex in Moscow. 

The indictment prepared by the Terrorist Crimes Investigation Bureau of the Istanbul Prosecutor General's Office states that the accused maintained contact with those who carried out the terrorist attack in Moscow, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media. 

The indictment requests prison sentences ranging from 7.5 to 15 years for the accused, namely, Hofizjon Usmanov, Muteullo Asoev, Rakhmatullo Salikov, Muhammadrahim Faizov and Hamza Muhammad charged of membership in an armed terrorist organization. The 25th Istanbul Heavy Penal Court has accepted the charges.

Crocus City Hall, on the outskirts of Moscow - 20km (12 miles) from the Kremlin - was about to host a concert by the rock group Picnic when gunmen burst into the foyer just after 20:00 (17:00 GMT). Video showed at least four people shooting randomly before proceeding into the concert hall itself and opening fire there. Helicopters were brought in to drop about 160 tonnes of water, but it took some 10 hours for the fire to be contained. By the time the suspects escaped - according to some accounts, the attack lasted about 20 minutes - hundreds had been killed and injured. 

Many died from bullet wounds, some as a result of smoke inhalation. Picnic's band members themselves were unharmed. More than 6,000 Russians had flocked to the retail and concert complex for the event. At least 145 have been confirmed dead - six of them children.

By Naila Huseynova