Fifteen people who planned terrorist attacks detained in Tajikistan - media

DUSHNABE. March 29 (Interfax) - Tajik security agencies have arrested 15 people who planned to carry out terrorist attacks during holiday celebrations in Dushanbe and the city of Vahdat, the online media outlet ASIA-Plus reported, citing a source in the State National Security Committee.

"Our source in the security agencies said most of the people who were arrested are residents of Vahdat, and they were all arrested by State National Security Committee employees and taken to Dushanbe before the Nowruz celebrations," the report said.

ASIA-Plus reported earlier on Friday that nine residents of Vahdat had been detained for their connection with the suspects in the terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow and cooperation with ISIL (banned in Russia and Tajikistan).

It is not known if the 15 people arrested have any relation to the suspects in the Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow. According to the most recent information, there are 144 names on the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry list of people killed in the attack.

"The investigation will show whether the detainees were connected to the suspects in the Crocus terrorist attack or not. It is currently unknown whether all of them were part of one chain and acted together, or whether each of them wanted to carry out a terrorist attack in Russia and Tajikistan on their own. The investigation is ongoing, and these questions need to be answered," the source told the media outlet.

These reports have not been officially confirmed.

According to earlier reports, at least seven citizens of Tajikistan were arrested in Russia as suspects following the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow on March 22.