Islamic State operative hunted by the Russian government is arrested at airport in Colombia

An ISIS terror suspect wanted by the Russian government was arrested at an airport in Colombia while waiting to connect to a flight to Guatemala, Colombian authorities revealed Friday.

Vladimir ‘Ali Ali’ Taranetc arrived at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá on a flight from Istanbul Airport on Thursday and was scheduled to continue on to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, the National Police of Colombia said.

Customs officials noticed Taranetc had been flagged in their system due to an Interpol Red Notice that had been requested by authorities in the west-central Russian city of Naberezhnye Chelny in 2013.

Taranetc was initially a member of Jaish Muhajireen wal-Ansar, a terror group that was formed in Iraq in 2011 and that was also involved in terror plots which were coordinated in Syria.

Colombian authorities learned that Taranetc left Russia for Turkey in September 2013 before arriving in Syria, where he joined the terrorist organization and ‘shared extremist ideas.’

Jaish Muhajireen wal-Ansar was known for employing ‘sabotage methods through violent acts’ that left civilians, government officials, and law enforcement agents dead while carrying out executions in public. The terror network was also involved in trafficking slaves.

The terror group was later disbanded and Taranetc subsequently joined the Islamic State.

‘Vladimir acted as a foreign fighter and it was estimated that he had a strong arsenal of firearms and ammunition,’ the National Police of Colombia said in a statement. ‘Russian authorities affirm that, to this day, Taranetc has not stopped participating and collaborating by his own free will with the Islamic State.’

The National Police said that Taranetc would be extradited to Russia to face terror charges.

He could face up to 20 years in prison if he is found guilty.

Source: Daily Mail