20 Mar 2020 13:31

Clandestine ISIL cell active in 3 Russian regions busted - FSB

MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - The activities of a clandestine cell of the ISIL international terrorist organization (banned in Russia) have been dismantled in three Russian regions, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

"The FSB, acting in coordination with Rosfinmonitoring [Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service] in the Republic of Crimea, Komi, and the Rostov region, dismantled the activities of a clandestine cell of the Islamic State international terrorist organization," the FSB press center told Interfax on Friday.

"Acting on orders from emissaries of international terrorist organizations, the people who have been detained set up an interregional network to collect, accumulate, and transfer money," it said.

"More than two million rubles were transferred to the accounts of terrorists and their accomplices under the guise of charitable donations," the press center said.

Communications equipment, payment products, and documents confirming their unlawful activities were seized during searches conducted at the suspects' places of residence, it said.

The press center declined to say exactly how many people have been detained. Search and investigative operations are continuing, it said.

The FSB press center later circulated video footage showing three suspects being detained. One was detained at a private residence, another near the entrance to an apartment block in Minusinsk, and the third in a parking lot.