A suspect arrested in Russia on Monday has admitted he was behind the St Petersburg metro bombing that killed 14 people, Russia media say.
Abror Azimov, who was born in 1990 and is reported to be from Kyrgyzstan, had “fully confessed” to organising the blasts, his lawyer told Russian media.
He is the ninth person to be detained in connection with the 3 April attack, which was carried out by Kyrgyz-born Russian Akbarzhon Jalilov, 22.
More than 50 people were injured.
Russian security services previously said they believed Abror Azimov “carried out training of the suicide bomber terrorist Jalilov”.
Police found the suspect by examining Jalilov’s phone contacts, Russian newspaper Kommersant said, citing sources.
Mr Azimov bought two new mobile phones and Sim cards on Monday, but gave away his location to security forces when he activated one of the cards, Kommersant added.
The other eight people detained in connection with the attack – six in St Petersburg and two in Moscow – are also from Central Asia.
On 3 April, at least 10 people were killed by an explosion inside a metro train at the Sennaya Square station in St. Petersburg in Russia.
Report says an unidentified device exploded in a train car.
“According to information available at this point ten people died. Others were injured,” a source said.
Evacuation of people from St. Petersburg’s metro after an explosion carried out by the National Anti-terrorist Committee (NAC).
“So far, we say it was an unidentified explosive device as investigators and the Federal Security Service’s bomb specialists are to establish the exact cause of this explosion… Evacuation is over, medical assistance is offered to those hurt,” Andrei Przhezdomsky, NAC spokesperson said.
“All necessary measures are being taken to ensure people’s security. We will do our best to prevent more possible explosions and other criminal actions,” he pledged.
Seven metro stations in the city were closed following the blast.
