Security services prevent 42 terrorist crimes in Russia in 2016 - Bortnikov
MOSCOW. Dec 13 (Interfax) - Security services prevented 42 terrorist crimes in Russia in 2016, National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) head, Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov said on Tuesday.
"The efficiency of preemptive operations of law enforcement and security agencies has been bolstered. Forty-two terrorist crimes were stopped at the preparatory stage by joint efforts," Bortnikov said.
Accounts of over 2,000 individuals who were definitively involved in terrorist activity and financing of terrorism were frozen in Russia in 2016, he said.
"Additional measures were taken to prevent the involvement of Russian citizens in terrorist cells abroad. The departure of 86 individuals having such intentions from Russia was prevented," Bortnikov said.
In addition, the activity of 34 recruiters who were involving Russians in terrorist cells in the home country was also stopped, he said.
"Sizable damage was inflicted on resources of the rings: 48 workshops and laboratories producing, repairing and modifying weapons and improvised explosive devices were liquidated, which was 1.5 times more than in the previous year," Bortnikov said.
A substantial quantity of illegal weapons and munitions was seized and pipelines smuggling them into Russian territory were terminated, he said.
"Principal terrorist threats are still related to the activity of rings in the North Caucasus and the fact that international terrorist organizations are eyeing other regions of Russia," Bortnikov said.
Despite the aforesaid measures, there are ongoing problems in the suppression of terrorism, he said.
"Law enforcement and security agencies prevented several attempts at terror attacks in transport facilities and crowded places plotted by people with origins in former Soviet republics in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Novgorod this year," Bortnikov said.
The number of terrorist accomplices detained outside the North Caucasus has grown, he said.
"The aggressive propaganda by recruiters, which is primarily conducted online, enables international terrorist organizations to win over citizens who fall under the influence of their ideology. Besides, they are intentionally using the migrant community for radicalizing citizens of former Soviet republics, who fail to adjust to our country, and are forming their 'sleeper cells' and 'autonomous groups' for future terror attacks," Bortnikov said.
