MOSCOW, February 1 (RAPSI) – Eleven persons allegedly involved in a terror attack that occurred in St. Petersburg metro in 2017 will go on trial, the Investigative Committee’s press service reports Friday.

Indictment has been approved and the case has been forwarded to court for hearing, the statement reads.

On April 3, 2017, an unknown device exploded in a train between St. Petersburg metro stations Technological Institute and Sennaya Ploshchad. According to law enforcement authorities, 16 people died in the blast including a suicide bomber, over 50 were wounded; 112 persons were acknowledged as victims in the case.

Eleven people were arrested and detained in the case. They were charged with terrorism and illegal acquisition, sale, keeping, transportation or bearing of explosives.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Investigators believe that a group with a goal of spreading terrorist activity, including attacks on Russia and its citizens, was founded in Syria. According to investigation, suicide bomber Akbarzhon Dzhalilov manufactured two explosives and brought them to the St. Petersburg metro.

One of the bombs that Dzhalilov kept to himself exploded around 2:40 PM Moscow time between St. Petersburg metro stations Technological Institute and Sennaya Ploshchad. The second bomb located at Ploshchad Vosstaniya station failed to detonate because of its malfunction and was subsequently found and disarmed.