Foreigner detained in Russia’s Barnaul accused of having links to the Islamic State terrorist group

Investigative division of the Altai Regional Directorate of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) submitted to court a criminal case against a Central Asian native who was detained in June at the Barnaul airport attempting to fly out to the Middle East in order to engage in warfare of the international terrorist organization, the Islamic State.

In Barnaul he was gathering information on locations of mass gatherings and social objects per the terrorists’ orders, the press service of the Altai Regional Directorate of the FSB told reporters on Thursday.

“During investigation it has been established that the foreigner residing in the Altai Region on a work permit has established contact with the members of the Islamic State <...> For monetary remuneration the accused was collecting information on locations of mass gatherings and social objects in Barnaul and sent to his “curators” detailed geo-referenced photographs of buildings. <...> A criminal case with the criminal indictment approved by a prosecutor is sent to the 1st Eastern district military court,” the statement said.

According to the investigation, the defendant also created a closed Internet channel which facilitated the group’s terrorist activity. The defendant is incriminated under part 1, Article 30, part 5, Article 33, part 2, Article 205.5 of the Russian Criminal Code (participating in the activity of an organization deemed terrorist in accordance with the Russian law).

On December 29, 2014, the Russian Supreme Court declared the Islamic State – IS – (before 2014 – the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIS) a terrorist organization. The extremist organization’s activities are outlawed in Russia.

Source: TASS