The US embassy had alerted citizens that weeks before the horrific attack on concertgoers by Islamic State militants on Friday, which claimed the lives of ninety-three people, “extremists” were preparing an impending attack in Moscow.
Gunmen opened fire on crowds in the bloodiest incident to hit Russia since the 2004 Beslan school siege, shortly before the Soviet-era rock band “Picnic” was scheduled to play to a packed house at the 6,200-seat Crocus City Hall, west of the capital.
On March 7, the US embassy in Russia issued repeated calls for all US nationals to leave the country right away. It did not provide any additional information regarding the nature of the danger; instead, it advised individuals to avoid crowds and concerts and to be mindful of their surroundings.At the time, the embassy posted on its website, “The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts, and US citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours.”It sent out its warning a few hours after Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the primary KGB replacement from the Soviet era, declared that it had stopped a cell of the extremist Sunni Muslim organization Islamic State from attacking a Moscow synagogue.
On Friday, gunmen wearing camouflage started shooting at concertgoers with automatic firearms, leaving 145 people injured and 93 dead.
Verified footage showed people filing out of the hall as gunfire resounded over cries, and then quickly taking their seats. Men were seen shooting at groups of people in other videos. Some victims in blood pools lay lifeless.”Above us, there were bangs and gunfire all of a sudden. A witness who asked not to be named told Reuters, “I don’t know what caused the burst of firing.”
“A stampede got under way. According to the witness, “everyone rushed to the escalator.” “Everyone was screaming; everyone was running.”
