23 March 2024 , 08:59
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The US warned of a likely "imminent" terror attack weeks before the Moscow shooting that killed 93 people after "extremists" were planning to "target larger gatherings."
Americans have been advised to steer clear of Russia since the outbreak of war in Ukraine left Russia vulnerable to terrorist attacks and earlier this month, the U.S. Embassy in Russia said.
Last night, such an attack took place, leaving over 90 dead and hundreds injured as gunfire and petrol bombs left a popular Moscow concert hall in a bloodbath and blaze.
The White House revealed on Friday that the United States had actually warned Russian authorities earlier in March about a "planned terrorist attack" possibly targeting "large gatherings" in Moscow.
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The death toll has climbed above 90 (Anadolu via Getty Images)Washington had "shared this information with Russian authorities," National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson explained.
The US Embassy in Russia issued an urgent warning of an “imminent” terrorist attack in Moscow — just hours after ISIS was thwarted from a planned massacre at a synagogue at the start of March.
“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,” the embassy said on its website about the threat just two weeks ago.
American citizens who had already been warned off being in Russia during its war on Ukraine were specifically told to “avoid crowds” and “be aware of your surroundings.”
This comes after a dubious election (Getty Images)On Friday, this concern became a nightmarish reality as assailants burst into a large concert hall in Moscow and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, killing over 60 people, injuring more than 100, and setting fire to the venue in a brazen attack just days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide, with ISIS claiming responsibility for this attack on social media.
A U.S. intelligence official told The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies had learned the group’s branch in Afghanistan was planning an attack in Moscow and shared the information with Russian officials, but it was not prevented.
Several of the terrorists have been arrested but it is unclear how many violent assailants remain at large and armed in Russia as their aggressive war in Ukraine continues into its third year.
The attack left the concert hall in flames, the roof collapsing, and was the deadliest in Russia in the year. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the raid a “huge tragedy.”