Terror plot in Dagestan thwarted, Russia says

MOSCOW — Russia foiled a terror plot in a special operation in its Dagestan Republic, arresting three suspects, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, the committee said special forces blocked the alleged terrorists in several apartments in residential areas of the cities of Makhachkala and Kaspiysk.

The suspects were planning to “commit a number of terrorist crimes”, it said in a statement.

Automatic weapons, ammunition and a ready-to-use improvised explosive device were discovered where the suspects were detained, the committee said.

“There are no casualties among the civilian population or losses among the personnel of the law enforcement forces,” it said. “The necessary operational search activities and investigative actions continue.”

The move came as foreign diplomats in Russia laid flowers on Saturday at the site of last week’s attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 144 people.

Those in attendance included ambassadors from the United States, EU countries, Africa and Latin America. The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said the “around 130 diplomatic missions” taking part included representatives of “unfriendly states”.

Paying tribute

Since the attack, thousands of people have brought bunches of flowers, wreaths and other tokens such as teddy bears, creating a makeshift memorial at the Crocus City Hall.

The Russian state news agency Tass reported on Saturday that the number of people wounded in the attack was 551, quoting figures from the Moscow regional department of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Previous figures have been much lower, and it did not explain the discrepancy.

The death toll rose to 144 on Friday when a severely injured victim died in a hospital, according to Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko.

Russia’s Investigative Committee said on Saturday that 134 of the dead had been identified. “Genetic tests are being carried out for other, as yet unidentified, victims,” the committee said in a statement on messaging app Telegram.

An affiliate of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Kremlin has said Ukraine and the West had a role, something Kyiv has denied.

Twelve people were arrested following the concert hall attack.