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SPD foreign politician Roth: "Our sympathy goes out to the many innocent victims in Moscow"
Photo:
Metodi Popov / IMAGO
The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael Roth (SPD), warns against allowing Russia to play too large a victim role after the terrorist attacks near Moscow. »Our condolences go out to the many innocent victims in Moscow. “Nevertheless, we must not forget that Russia itself is a terrorist state that once again terrorized the Ukrainian civilian population with missile and drone attacks last night,” Roth told “Bild am Sonntag.” "Whoever sows terror will reap terror."
So far 133 dead, more than 150 injured
In the attack on Friday evening, four heavily armed terrorists broke into one of Moscow's largest concert halls while thousands were waiting for the concert to begin. They shot around and apparently threw incendiary devices into the concert hall. On Saturday afternoon the number of deaths was 133 and there are said to be more than 150 injured. An offshoot of the Islamist terrorist group “Islamic State” claimed responsibility for the attack.
The German ambassador in Moscow, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, told the newspaper: “There is no justification for terror – never and nowhere. We condemn all violence against innocent civilians. This applies in Russia as well as in Ukraine. Humanity must remain our compass. My condolences go out to the families of the victims. It is important that the background is clarified.
On Saturday, Russian security authorities reported that 11 suspects had been arrested, including the four men who carried out the terrorist attack. They are said to come from Tajikistan. Shortly after the attack, however, Russian security services and media spread the claim that there was a lead to Ukraine. She immediately rejected the accusation.
The chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the German Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, told “Bild am Sonntag” that the attack was horrific and reminiscent of the attack on the Bataclan in Paris. "In terms of domestic policy, this is a serious blow for the security authorities, because there was a warning, even specifically regarding concerts," said Strack-Zimmermann. The United States said shortly after the attack that it had only recently warned Russia of the possibility of an attack on concerts. The US embassy in Moscow even issued a public safety warning at the beginning of March. However, Russian authorities apparently did not take the warnings seriously.
"Obviously Putin, in a complete misjudgment, did not take these warnings seriously and will try to distract from them," said Strack-Zimmermann. Instead of waging a war of aggression against a peaceful neighbor, Putin should join forces with other affected countries in the world to defend themselves against terrorism. »International terrorism is the true scourge of humanity.«
Kiesewetter: Possibly a false flag operation by Russia itself
The foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Roderich Kiesewetter, does not consider it out of the question that the terrorist attack near Moscow was a false flag operation that Russia itself organized: "It can be ruled out at this point in time Nor that it is a false flag operation by Russia itself, even if an Islamist background seems quite likely, especially since IS has claimed responsibility for it." So far there is no evidence that Russia itself organized or initiated the attack could.
The obvious failure of Russian security services also needs to be clarified, said Kiesewetter. Russia is preparing to blame Ukraine "in order to use this terrorist attack tactically to wage war," said Kiesewetter. This makes “a new wave of mobilization in Russia likely.”
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