1 Aug 2018 19:41

Women, who sent about 1 mln rubles to ISIL militants, detained in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG. Aug 1 (Interfax) - St. Petersburg police officers have detained a woman, who is suspected of transferring money to militants of the Islamic State (ISIL, terrorist group banned in Russia) fighting in Syria, the press service for the Russian Investigative Committee's branch for St. Petersburg said on Wednesday.

"According to investigators, the defendant received money from various persons, who were members of the international terrorist organization Islamic State, which is banned in Russia, while staying in St. Petersburg from June 2016 to October 2017. She transferred it from her personal bank account to the Republic of Turkey for funding and further use by the aforementioned terrorist organization to organize its activities. The defendant sent money in the total amount of about 1 million rubles," the press service said.

A criminal case of abetting to terrorist activities was opened against the detainee, she was indicted. Investigators are identifying her accomplices.

An informed source told Interfax earlier that the detained woman is an Uzbek citizen born in 1979.

"An Uzbek citizen, born in 1979, who received money from various people, deposited it on her bank account and transferred to individuals participating in hostilities in Syria alongside the terrorist organization Islamic State, which is banned in Russia, has been detained," the source said.

Transactions totaling over 800,000 rubles to at least nine militants were determined. They took place from June 2016 to October 2017.