Russia Bomb Suspect 'Linked to Islamic Radicals'

The suspect behind a deadly terrorist attack on a St. Petersburg subway station was a 23-year-old man from a former Soviet republic in Central Asia who had links to Islamist radical groups, according to reports in the Russian media. Reuters reports that officials in Kyrgyzstan have identified the suspect as Akbarzhon Jalilov, a Russian citizen born in the city of Osh. Officials say the toll from the attack has now hit 14, with up to 50 others injured by a bomb that exploded on a train between Sennaya Ploshchad and Tekhnologichesky Institut stations Monday afternoon. A second bomb left at a different station failed to explode. Investigators believe Jalilov may have planted that device before blowing himself up on the train.

The subway driver is being praised for continuing to the next station after the bomb went off, making it easier for rescuers to reach the wounded. According to Russian reports, the second bomb, which was packed with shrapnel and disguised as a fire extinguisher, would have done more damage than the first. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Vladimir Putin, who was visiting St. Petersburg at the time of the bombing, met with security chiefs Monday night, the Guardian reports. Earlier, he laid flowers at the Tekhnologichesky station. President Trump denounced the attack as "absolutely a terrible thing" and White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the US is willing to provide support, the AP reports. (More St. Petersburg stories.)