Russia to Conduct Moscow Concert Hall Attack Investigation on Its Own - Lavrov

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia will conduct an investigation into the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue on its own, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday when discussing Interpol’s readiness to support the investigation.

Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock said on Saturday the the international organization is ready to assist the Russian authorities in the relevant investigation.

"I do not recall such an initiative from Interpol in previous cases, which also required the closest international attention. The most obvious example is the North Stream [pipelines]. No one volunteered to help us investigate .... On the one hand, I am sure that we can handle this investigation. On the other hand, we will hardly need such assistance, which will obviously be a manifestation of double standards and, most likely, will be aimed at promoting the theory convenient for the West that the Islamic State [banned in Russia] did it and Ukraine had nothing to do with it. I will say once again: we can manage on our own," Lavrov told a press conference.

On March 22, a group of camouflaged men armed to the teeth stormed the Crocus City Hall concert venue outside Moscow, murdering over 130 people in cold blood and then setting the building ablaze.

The gunmen who carried out this carnage were later apprehended not far from the Ukrainian border and were promptly and thoroughly interrogated. The investigation has shown that the perpetrators were adherents of jihadist ideology. However, officials believe that this savage act of terrorism may have been masterminded by another group or force.