40 killed and 100 injured in Moscow attack

[Airwolf]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/40-killed-more-than-100-wounded-in-attack-on-moscow-s-crocus-city-hall/ar-BB1kmP3f?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=f8f58a7d763a47b0f838539a9c219c4c&ei=12

Unknown number of men in camoflage opened fire in a concert hall in Moscow.

[enslaved1]

At least 40 people were killed and over 100 others were injured in a shooting and explosion at Moscow's Crocus City Hall -- one of the biggest shopping and entertainment complexes in Russia -- on Friday evening, according to the Russian Foreign Security Service.

Russia's foreign ministry called the shooting and explosion a "terrorist attack."

If your country is at war, is it really a terrorist attack?  Obviously at this point we don't know if Ukraine got that far into Russia, so it's not impossible, but even so, seems like a valid question to me.

Kirby also reiterated the State Department's warning that all Americans in Moscow should avoid large gatherings, saying "they should stay put where they are, and stay plugged into the State Department for any additional updates and information."

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow had issued a warning on March 7, advising U.S. citizens to avoid large gatherings for 48 hours, saying extremists have "imminent plans" to target large scale gatherings in Moscow.

We still have officials in the Embassy in Moscow?  Citizens is no surprise, but didn't we pull officials our a while back, or is that my faulty memory?

[Airwolf]

If your country is at war, is it really a terrorist attack?  Obviously at this point we don't know if Ukraine got that far into Russia, so it's not impossible, but even so, seems like a valid question to me.
 

We still have officials in the Embassy in Moscow?  Citizens is no surprise, but didn't we pull officials our a while back, or is that my faulty memory?

I think they asked all non essential people to leave and maybe told people not to travel there to Russia a while back because of the Russians holding Americans in jail.

[SVPete]

I'm not going to try to guess who done it, but this could be the grisly work of Chechens, who have plenty to resent from the Czars and Stalin.

[Ptarmigan]

US Intelligence Says It Knew ISIS-K Was Planning Terror Attack On Moscow
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/mass-shooting-attack-explosions-moscows-largest-concert-hall-reports

Update(1950ET): The initial reports that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Moscow appeared rumor at first, and has still been subject of widespread scrutiny and debate, however, US media and government officials are saying that the Islamic State (or ISIS-K) statement is authentic. "A branch of the Islamic State claimed responsibility on Friday for the attack in Moscow that killed at least 40 people and injured about 100 others, and U.S. officials confirmed the claim shortly afterward," The New York Times writes late in the day.

What's more is that US intelligence knew there was to be an imminent attack on Moscow: "The United States collected intelligence in March that Islamic State-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan, had been planning an attack on Moscow, according to officials. ISIS members have been active in Russia, one U.S. official said," according to more from NYT.

The Kremlin had earlier in the day demanded answers of Washington explaining why the US Embassy in Moscow issued an alert earlier this month for all US nationals to avoid public venues and be extra vigilant. We previously reported on that early March embassy notification here. NY Times continues, citing US officials: "After a period of relative quiet, the Islamic State has been trying to increase its external attacks, according to U.S. counterterrorism officials. Most of those plots in Europe have been thwarted, prompting assessments that the group had diminished capabilities."

Importantly, Russian state media and sources have been slow to report the ISIS-K claims, nor have state officials identified any culprits or group at this late hour. Russian media in general has not reflected Western press reports concerning the claims that ISIS-K was behind it, likely pending a deeper and ongoing investigation. It is possible that some of the gunmen may still be at large.

Islamic State (or ISIS-K) have taken responsibility for the Crocus City Hall attack.

[Drafe Hoblin]

Gotta wait for Putin to make a statement.  It should happen momentarily.  It's definitely a personal blow, since he just got elected for a 6th-term.

[SVPete]

Has Biden blamed Trump and MAGA-Republicans yet?

Slightly less unseriously, apparently the US government did warn the Russians of the general threat. What the Russians did with the warning, . Were Trump President and gave the Russians warning, DU-grade Dems would claim that proved Trump-Russia Collusion. But Biden being President, the Dems, quite reasonably, are, "Well of course Biden warned them."

[Drafe Hoblin]

That so-called 'warning' needs to be investigated.

It's highly highly highly doubtful that State Department was 'warning' the Russian Government.  They were issuing a standard warning to Americans about traveling, gathering in groups, etc., which they issue several times a year. 

The UK-Government is claiming the same thing.  That is too thin to be credible, as well.

This isn't going to end well for the arrestees.  I suspect it's already ending for some of them... bloody, on camera, on their knees.  I wish we could do that to the violent criminal illegals here.

[SVPete]

https://www.newsweek.com/more-countries-warn-about-terrorism-russia-after-moscow-plot-thwarted-1877498

More Countries Warn About Terrorism in Russia After Moscow Plot Thwarted

Published Mar 08, 2024 at 5:57 PM EST

More countries have joined the United States in warning their citizens in Russia to avoid crowds over an imminent terrorist threat, shortly after Russian officials said they thwarted an attempted attack on a Moscow synagogue.

A security alert issued on Thursday warned that the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was "monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours."

The British Embassy in Moscow quickly shared the warning, while advising U.K. nationals to avoid "all travel to Russia." By Friday, at least six other nations had joined in warning their citizen about the alleged threat—including Canada, Germany, Sweden, South Korea, Latvia and the Czech Republic.
...
This week's warning prompted several Putin allies in Russia to launch evidence-free conspiracy theories claiming that the U.S. and U.K. were planning to commit terror attacks in Russia and blame the attacks on another entity.

Putin didn't listen, and it ended, poorly.

[Airwolf]

Looks like the death toll went over 100 and they are claiming they have made some arrest in the case. I'm not so sure they have any of the people that made the attack but with the Russians who knows what they are up to.

[enslaved1]

https://x.com/VSvatoj/status/1772277546001776939?s=20

ISIS threatens Russia and Putin personally with new terrorist attacks.
One of the ISIS units in Khorasan province published a poster on which the terrorists promise to take revenge on the Russians for the abuse of the detained militants of the organization.

It's on Twitter, so YMMV.  Some armchair strategists think such an assault could give Putin an excuse to pull out of Ukraine while saving enough face for his state owned media, others think ISIS may generate enough sand in the gears to destabilize enough of central Asia to at least start their happy little caliphate, which creates a whole new issue. 

Wars and rumors of wars, y'all.