I asked you to give me results every day. I wish to thank you for these results. Today [Wednesday — editor], the case was solved at 5am. It took our State Security Agency servicemen and police just 24 hours to detain the executors of this drastic crime, at 9pm yesterday [Tuesday — editor], conducting a brilliant operation without any shooting or commotion. Today, at 5am, they gave testimonies.
Importantly, we know who conducted this terrorist act and how. However, we still don’t know the purpose, which shall soon become known. This is our primary task now. I should stress again: I’m extremely grateful to the State Security Agency, our police, staff of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and all enforcement agencies for this prompt work.
Analysts, investigators and experts have built up a strict chronology of the crime, while processing a large amount of audio and video materials. What especially pleases me is that they — figuratively speaking — have found the criminals without leaving their offices. Later, the active stage of the operation for their seizure began. This is worthy of a civilised nation, where people fight against the most serious crimes, using their brains. For me, as the President, this is very important.
Much work has been done by each specialist, in their own field. I’m expressing my special gratitude to the Emergency Ministry’s staff, doctors of the emergency service and those doctors who are now standing by operating tables, fighting for the lives of our people.
We thank all Belarusians who responded to our call. We’ve received thousands of the most important messages, which need further processing. I’m convinced that, while working on the investigation of this terrible crime, we’ll detect hundreds and thousands of other crimes, previously conducted. As our investigators have reported, those detected have admitted not only to the terrorist act in Minsk’s metro, but the terrorist acts on Independence Day and those which took place earlier in Vitebsk.
We should now — in the shortest possible time — finish all investigative actions and send the case to the court; this regards the head of the investigation group, Colonel Andrei Shved. The Interior Ministry, State Security Agency and other law-enforcement agencies should continue the enhanced regime of the service. In line with my order, given at the last meeting, we should certainly not relax. ‘Mopping-up operation’ must be carried out in all directions. You understand what I mean. I’ve been saying it for two days now. You see how cruel and bloody the world around us is becoming. We mustn’t allow this situation to develop in Belarus.
I repeat, our primary goal is to learn from this tragedy. However, these lessons must be drawn not only by law-enforcement agencies but also by executive power, legal entities and by we, ordinary people. It’s horrible but these are the facts: these beasts — who perpetrated this crime — worked as a lathe operator and electrician, in ordinary companies. They talked to their numerous colleagues and friends, in a narrow circle. I cannot believe that those who surrounded them, including the heads of their plants, failed to suspect these criminals. Such people always have abnormalities and these should have been noticed...
Our country has long been cradled in a calm and stable situation. From today, each of us, Belarusians, must remember that we won’t achieve the high goals we’ve set regarding the development of our country if we fail to drastically change our attitude towards ourselves, our lives, work, family and children. The fundamentals for our further survival are the toughest order, strict organisation, co-ordination and precision. People are ready for these. Look at the actions of people during the tragedy. No panic was observed, with everyone supporting each other. People took out the wounded — as if from the battlefield; they rescued their friends and those who were just nearby. They saw no faces in the darkness but were rescuing people, although they themselves were in the most serious situation. This is another example of the character of our nation.
