Russia claims foreigners detained in Dagestan involved in Moscow concert hall attack

Russia on Monday claimed that foreigners detained in the Russian Republic of Dagestan during a special operation a day earlier were involved in the Moscow concert hall attack late last month, which killed 144 people.

“On March 31, the FSB (Federal Security Service) of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Dagestan suppressed the activities of a terrorist cell consisting of four foreign citizens who prepared a terrorist act in Kaspiysk in places where people were in large numbers,” the FSB's Public Relations Center told the state news agency TASS.

The statement claimed that the four detained foreigners were directly involved in financing and providing funds to the perpetrators of the Crocus City Hall attack.

It also claimed that the detainees conducted reconnaissance of the area, while also making an improvised explosive device and acquiring automatic weapons.” It added that they intended to leave Russia after the attack.

On Sunday, Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee announced a counter-terrorism operation regime in the cities of Makhachkala and Kaspiysk.

At least 144 people were killed and more than 382 others injured on March 22 when gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. Russia has charged four people for being directly involved in the attack.

The US maintains the attack was carried out by a branch of the Daesh/ISIS terror group. Ukraine has also denied any involvement in the attack.

President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that the shooting was carried out by radicals, but said Russia wanted to know more, such as who ordered it.​​​​​​​