Istanbul, Turkey – A Turkish security official on Tuesday said two of the Moscow concert hall attack suspects travelled “freely” to Russia as no arrest warrants were issued against them.

Russian authorities detained 11 people in connection with Friday’s attack, which saw camouflaged gunmen storm into Crocus City Hall, open fire on concert-goers and set the building ablaze, killing at least 139 people.

Tajik nationals Rachabalizoda Saidakrami and Shamsidin Fariduni “were able to travel freely between Russia and Turkey since there was no warrant for their arrest”, the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday acknowledged for the first time that “radical Islamists” were behind last week’s attack at the concert hall, but suggested they were linked to Ukraine.

Islamic State jihadists have said several times since Friday that they were responsible, and IS-affiliated media channels have published graphic videos of the gunmen inside the venue.

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© Agence France-Presse