Man suspected of aiding terrorism arrested in St. Petersburg
ST. PETERSBURG. Feb 27 (Interfax) - The St. Petersburg Frunzensky District Court has ordered the arrest of Davranbek Kosimov, who is suspected of aiding and abetting terrorism, the joint press service for St. Petersburg courts said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the investigators, Kosimov transferred $100 (5,776 rubles according to the Russian Central Bank's exchange rate for March 30, 2018) to Uzbek citizen Gaziyev, a fugitive accused by Uzbekistan of encroachment on the Uzbek constitutional system, illegal crossing of the border, production and distribution of materials posing a threat to public security and peace, and establishment, supervision, and participation in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist, or other prohibited organizations, who was staying in Istanbul. The investigators believe that Gaziyev was participating in the activity of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization (banned in Russia) in the Turkish territory.
The investigators have no doubt that Kosimov was aware of his actions.
In addition, the defendant was persuading two men to participate in the activities of Jabhat al-Nusra in the period between December 1, 2018 and January 31, 2019 using "his authority as one knowledgeable of Islam [...] and telling them about the duty of every Muslim to take part in the war in Syria on the side of the aforesaid terrorist organization and to provide financial support for its activity," the investigators said.
Kosimov was detained on Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty.
The court put him under arrest until April 19.