Russia IDs Metro Bomber as St Petersburg Mourns 14 Dead
While some reports said that there was one explosion, a few others reported two blasts.
- An explosion occurred on a train between two metro stations in Russia’s St Petersburg
- Kyrgyztan’s security service has identified the blast suspect as Kyrgyz-born Russian Akbarzhon Jalilov
- Eleven people have been reportedly killed in the blast and 50 injured
- Eight ambulances were seen near the Sennaya Ploshchad metro station
- Some metro stations are reopening after a complete network shutdown
- Putin said that they will probe all angles, including terrorism
- Russia has issued search warrants for two people for their possible role in the blast
The suspect in the metro train explosions in St Petersburg that killed 14 people has been identified by Russian security services, it was announced on Tuesday.
"It has been established that an individual suspected of carrying out the terrorist attack is a native of our republic," Kyrgyzstan National Security Committee spokesman Rakhat Sulaimanov told TASS news agency.
An unidentified device went off on Monday in the metro train car when it was moving from Tekhnologichesky Institut Station to Sennaya Ploshchad Station.
The Russian Investigative Committee termed the blast a "terrorist attack". The Russian Emergencies Ministry said 51 people were injured. President Vladimir Putin visited the scene on Monday evening and laid flowers at a makeshift shrine.
Russian Investigators Confirm Jalilov as Man Behind Metro Blast
Russia's state investigative committee on Tuesday named Akbarzhon Jalilov as the man behind the St Petersburg metro blast, confirming an earlier statement from Kyrgyzstan's security services.
The committee said in a statement its investigation had identified Jalilov, whose genetic traces were also found on a bag containing an explosive device.
"From the genetic evidence and the surveillance cameras there is reason to believe that the person behind the terrorist act in the train carriage, was the same one who left a bag with an explosive device at the Ploshchad Vosstaniya station," the statement added.
RT reported that he had planted another bomb in another station.
Russian Investigators Say Have Found Metro Bomb Suspect's Body Parts
Russia's state investigative committee said on Tuesday that the deadly St Petersburg metro blast was caused by a bomb that had possibly been detonated by a man whose body parts were found in one of the train carriages.
"It has been ascertained that an explosive device could have been detonated by a man, fragments of whose body were found in the third carriage of the train," the committee, which has sweeping powers, said in a statement.
"The man has been identified but his identity will not be disclosed for now in the interests of the investigation," the statement added.
Likely Suspect a Kyrgyz-Born Russian
Kyrgyztan’s security service has identified the blast suspect as Kyrgyz-born Russian Akbarzhon Jalilov, born in Osh in 1995.
A spokesman for the GKNB security service said it had received an official request from Russian security services to identify the suspect.
Trump Offers Condolences
US President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to offer condolences to the victims of a bomb blast on a St Petersburg train that killed 11 people and injured 45, the White House said in a statement.
Three Days of Mourning for Blast Victims
Three days of mourning declared in St Petersburg after metro blast.
Modi Expresses Condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences towards the families of the St Petersburg attack victims.
Search Warrant Issues for Two
Russia has issued search warrants for two people for their possible role in Monday's deadly metro blast in St Petersburg, Interfax quoted a security source as saying.
"Two people are being sought on suspicion of planning the blasts, one of whom is thought to have placed the explosive device in the metro wagon and the second person for leaving a bomb at the metro station 'Ploshchad Revolutsii'," the source told Interfax.
Death Toll Rises to 14
According to local media reports the death toll from the bombing of the St Petersburg metro has risen to 14.
Criminal Case Opened on Terrorism Charges
Russia's state investigative committee said on Monday it had opened a criminal case over the St Petersburg metro blast on charges of a terrorist act.
Moscovites Offer Flowers to Honour Victims
Moscovites bring flowers and candles to the Leningrad memorial at Alexandrovsky Garden to honor the victims of the blast
France Tightens Security
France is increasing security at public transport locations in Paris after an explosion killed at least nine people in a St. Petersburg metro tunnel on Monday, the interior ministry said.
"Amid an extremely high terrorism threat, the government continues to take measures to protect the French people."
Photo of Suspect Shows Middle-Aged Man in Black
Russian online news outlet Fontanka has published the photo of a person whom it said police were seeking over Monday's deadly blast on board a St Petersburg metro train.
The grainy photo shows a middle-aged man with a beard and wearing a black hat.
Fontanka said the man had entered "Petrogradskaya" station 20 minutes before the blast happened on board a train, killing at least nine people.
Delhi Metro on High Alert
Security measures in the Delhi Metro have been put on maximum alert with commuters made to undergo a thorough frisking in the wake of an explosion in a subway train in Russia that killed at least 10 people.
Officials said the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), tasked to secure over 150 stations of the rapid rail network with a daily footfall of about 26 lakh people, has issued orders to exercise the "highest possible measure of alert" by strengthening regular security drills and undertaking pat-down (complete) search of the passengers.
They said all entry and exit points of the Delhi Metro stations will be effectively secured in close coordination with the Delhi police and Metro authorities.
Special instructions, they said, have been issued to effectively and minutely scan the luggage of the commuters at all the stations, especially which receive a heavy passenger load and at inter-change stations like Kashmere Gare or Rajiv Chowk.
'Surveillance Cameras Capture Suspect'
Surveillance cameras in St Petersburg's metro system have captured images of the person suspected of organising Monday's deadly train blast, Russian news agency Interfax quoted a source as saying.
"Images of the suspected organiser of the metro blast were captured on metro station cameras," the source said.
The explosive device may have been left in a briefcase in a metro train carriage, the source added.
Explosive Device Found at Ploshchad Vosstaniya Metro Station
Russian security agencies found an explosive device at a metro station in central St Petersburg and defused it, the National Anti-Terrorist Committee said in a statement on Monday.
The device was found at the Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station, a different location from where a blast took place earlier.
9 Killed, 20 Injured
A blast occurred between the Sennaya Ploschad and Tekhnologichesky Institut stations in St Petersburg, killing at least nine people and injuring 20.
An attack on St Petersburg, Russia's old imperial capital, would have some symbolic force for any militant group, especially ISIS or Chechen secessionist rebels. Attacks in the past have largely concentrated on Moscow, including an attack on an airport, a theatre and in 2010, a metro train.
Russia has been the target of attacks by separatist Islamist Chechen militants in the past. ISIS, which has drawn recruits from the ranks of Chechen rebels, had also threatened attacks across Russia in retaliation for Russian military intervention in Syria.
Slovakia, Boris Johnson Express Sympathies
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said his sympathies are with the victims of the St Petersburg blast and their families.
Slovakia too expressed shock over the blast.
One Blast Occurred Between Two Stations
There was only one blast in St Peterburg's metro system, which took place on a train between two stations, a source from Russia's emergency services said on Monday.
"There was one blast at one site in between (stations) as the train arrived at the Technology Institute station from Sennaya (Ploshchad) station," the source told Reuters. Ten people have been killed in the blast, authorities said.
Russian media had earlier reported that there had been two explosions.
Kremlin spokesperson refutes allegations Putin was supposed to ride past Metro station where blast occurred.
Live Bomb Reportedly Found in Metro Station
A live bomb has been found in another metro station, according to CNN News 18. The news report, however, hasn’t been confirmed yet.
All 62 metro stations in St Petersburg are currently on lock-down.
50 Injured in Blasts
Fifty people have been injured in the blasts in St Petersburg's metro system on Monday, Andrey Kibitov, the head of the city governor's press service, said on Twitter.
Seventeen ambulances are currently treating the injured, Kibitov said.
This is the first major terror attack in Russia since the 2013 Volgograd suicide bombings.
Security Beefed Up in Moscow
Security at Moscow was maximised after the attack. All metro stations in St Petersburg have been shut down.
Probing Terrorism Angles: Putin
At least one of the explosive devices contained shrapnel, Sputnik news agency reported.
Russian law enforcement agencies are working to determine the causes of the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin said authorities are investigating the incident from all angles, including terrorism. He also expressed his condolences for the bereaved families.
Blast in Two Metro Carriages
Blasts occurred in two train carriages at two metro stations in St Petersburg, Reuters has reported.
Explosion at Metro Station
An explosion in a St Petersburg metro station on Monday has killed at least 10 people, according to "preliminary information", Russian news agency TASS reported.
A witness quoted by Reuters reportedly saw eight ambulances near the Sennaya Ploshchad metro station.
Another Russian news agency, RIA Novosti, said blasts have occurred at two metro stations.
Three metro stations have been closed, local media outlet Fontanka reported.
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