25 Sep 2019 12:01

Two residents of Kabardino-Balkaria suspected of financing ISIL

MOSCOW. Sept 25 (Interfax) - Moscow investigators have opened a criminal investigation against a brother and sister from Kabardino-Balkaria suspected of financing ISIL (banned in Russia) under the guise of charity, an informed source told Interfax on Wednesday.

The Moscow unit of the Russian Investigative Committee on Tuesday opened a criminal case on charges of complicity in terrorist activities, under which a 25-year-old resident of Kabardino-Balkaria and his 30-year-old sister have been detained, the source said.

The investigation suspects that these individuals, having acted since 2015, posted details of bank cards on mobile apps and social media in order to raise funds to finance ISIL under the guise of charity. In the said period of time, over 6 million rubles were transferred to the cards, including from individuals being prosecuted as terrorist suspects in Moscow, it said.

Decisions on presenting an indictment against the suspects and choosing a pretrial restrictive measure for them are to be made soon, the source said.

Complicity in terrorist activities is punishable in Russia by 15 to 20 years' imprisonment or life in prison.