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St. Petersburg Subway Bombing Was Reportedly Al-Qaida's Work

People gather at a symbolic memorial in the St. Petersburg subway, April 7, 2017. Dmitri Lovetsky / AP

A group allegedly tied to the terrorist organization al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for the subway bombing that rocked the St. Petersburg subway earlier this month, according to the “intelligence group” website “SITE.”

The group claiming responsibility for the attack reportedly calls itself the “Imam Shamil Battalion.”

According to SITE, the bombing was allegedly organized by Ayman al-Zawahiri, the current leader of al-Qaida, in retaliation for Russia’s actions in Syria, Chechnya, and Libya. The group also threatened new attacks.

On April 3, a homemade explosive detonated in the St. Petersburg subway, injuring more than 50 people. A total of 16 people ultimately died as a result of the blast. So far, Russian police have arrested 10 individuals for involvement in the attack.

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