Russia arrests two suspected 'terrorist' recruiters

April 16, 2017 | 20:20

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SAINT PETERSBURG: Two suspected recruiters of "terrorists" from Central Asia were arrested in Saint Petersburg, justice authorities said on Saturday (Apr 15), in connection with a deadly bomb attack on the Russian city's metro.

A woman places flowers in honour of the victims of the Apr 3 blast on the platform of Technological Institute metro station in Saint Petersburg on Apr 4, 2017. (Photo: AFP/Olga Maltseva)

One suspect, aged 32, is accused of recruiting for the Islamic State group, while the other, aged 39, faces allegations of being a recruiter for "terrorist organisations in Syria".

One of the two is from the Osh region of Kyrgyzstan, an area known for the number of recruits it has provided for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Fourteen people died and dozens were injured in the April 3 blast which has been blamed on 22-year-old Akbarjon Djalilov, thought to be a Russian national born in Kyrgyzstan, who died in the blast.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack but investigators say they are probing possible links to Islamic State militants.

Eight people - all from mainly Muslim Central Asia - have been detained in Moscow and Saint Petersburg over alleged involvement in the attack.

As of the beginning of April, police in St Petersburg had arrested seven nationals of Central Asian countries on suspicion of being "terrorist" recruiters.

AFP

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