圣彼得堡地铁爆炸案后全城气氛紧张

Russia's state investigative committee says it has arrested six Central Asian men in St. Petersburg on suspicion of aiding terrorist activity, two days after a deadly attack on a crowded subway train in that city.

The group is accused of recruiting other men from Central Asian republics to join Islamic State and other extremist groups since 2015. But the committee issued a statement saying no evidence has been uncovered linking the group to the bombing that killed 14 people and left dozens more injured.

Russian investigators have identified 22-year-old Kyrgyz-born Akbarzhon Dzhalilov as the suicide bomber who carried out the attack.

World leaders from China to Europe to Brazil expressed their condolences over the tragedy. U.S. President Donald Trump phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin and offered full support in responding to the attack.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the global outpouring Russia received reflected a common understanding of the need to join efforts to fight terrorism instead of trying, according to him, to “use extremists to reach narrow geopolitical goals.”

The attack has left St. Petersburg residents on edge.

“I think the atmosphere in the city is nervous,” said resident Anastasia. “People walk and they do not understand what is happening. The public transport is too busy and is not coping. It is scary for us.”

Russia is holding three days of mourning for those killed. President Putin overnight laid flowers near the bombing cite in St. Petersburg in tribute. Putin was in the city when the bombing occurred, the timing of which Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called “food for thought.”