Russian courts have sentenced 135 individuals to prison for their roles in the attempted lynching of Israeli passengers at an airport in the Dagestan region in October 2023.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre of roughly 1,200 people in Israel’s western Negev, which prompted Jerusalem’s war against the Islamist dictatorship in Gaza.
Hundreds of men stormed the airport in the city of Makhachkala on October 29, 2023, after rumours surfaced that a plane from Tel Aviv carrying Israeli nationals had landed at the airport.
Footage showed men with Palestinian flags overrunning the airport and shouting Allahu Akbar (“God is great”), as they searched the terminals for Israeli and Jewish passengers.
About 15 Israelis and Jews were confirmed to have been present at the site at the time. They were transferred to one of the rooms in the airport, where they remained until taking off for Moscow.
Other videos showed Muslim protesters stopping vehicles in the area to ask motorists if they were transporting tourists from the Jewish state.
“We came for the Jews — to kill them with a knife and shoot them,” a rioter was quoted as saying.
More than 20 people were injured before security personnel regained control over the situation, Reuters reported.
The report further read that investigators found evidence against 142 accused individuals, completing probes into the participation in the unrest of 139.
The three other individuals have been put on Russia’s wanted list. They had organized the riots via posts on Telegram, investigators said, according to Reuters.
The 135 convicts were handed sentences ranging from 6.5 to 15 years for participating in mass riots and other crimes, the report said.
No passengers from the flight were injured.
