Admin I Monday, March 25, 2024
BERLIN – The chairwoman of the Bundestag defence committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, says the recent terrorist attack on Crocus City concert hall near Moscow, which claimed 137 lives, is a “serious blow” to the Russian security authorities.
In an interview with the Sunday edition of the Bild newspaper, Strack-Zimmermann, a defence expert from Germany’s junior coalition partner, the Free Democrats (FDP), said there had been warnings before the attacks.
Western and US intelligence services warned an attack might be imminent at the start of the month, with the US embassy in Moscow calling on citizens to avoid large crowds, having seen reports that extremists were planning to attack large gatherings in the Russian capital, including concerts.
She expressed bewilderment at the lack of additional security measures given the intelligence “even specifically regarding concerts.”
“It is apparent that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin completely misjudged these warnings and did not take them seriously and is trying to deflect attention from them,” she said.
In a speech to Russia’s FSB domestic intelligence service earlier in the week, Putin dismissed the warnings as Western provocations aiming to destabilize Russia.
On Friday, gunmen fired indiscriminately at concert-goers at the Crocus City Hall venue in the north-western outskirts of Moscow, killing 133 people and injuring more than 100, according to authorities.
The so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist group published pixilated photos of the alleged attackers on Saturday, after claiming responsibility for the attack on the concert venue.
However, Putin said a “trail” suggested Ukraine was behind Friday’s attack, following the arrest of several suspects. Kiev swiftly rejected accusations of any involvement in the attack.
Instead of waging a brutal war against Ukraine, Putin should stand up to terrorism with other countries around the world, Strack-Zimmermann said.
“International terrorism is the true hostage of humanity,” she added.
