In a coordinated operation, officers from the Federal Security Service (FSB) in tandem with the National Guard conducted arrests targeting three individuals affiliated with the abroad-based terrorist network Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The operation spanned the Kirov region and the Republic of Tatarstan and focused on dismantling activities that encouraged Muslims to travel to Syria for militant purposes. The information originates from the press service of the FSB department for the Kirov region and related law enforcement briefings.
The official statement described the actions of those linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group listed as a terrorist organization by Russia. It noted that residents of Tatarstan and the Kirov region carried out deliberate campaigns to propagate extremist ideologies within Russian territory, aiming to recruit and radicalize individuals under their influence.
Authorities indicated that the detainees held secret meetings to recruit Muslims to join the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic. Investigators also reported that funds were transferred on a recurring basis to accounts controlled by militants, providing financial support for operational activities tied to the organization.
During searches at the detainees’ residences, investigators recovered extremist literature, electronic communication devices, payment instruments, and documents alleged to confirm illicit operations and affiliations. These materials are being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation and judicial proceedings.
FSB investigators have opened criminal cases against those linked to the terrorist organization on multiple charges, including aiding terrorist activities, public calls to commit terror acts, propagating extremist ideas, organizing a terrorist group, and participating in terrorist activities. The case file reflects a series of episodes connected to efforts to facilitate and promote violent extremism within Russia and across borders.
One individual, a detainee from Sakhalin, faces a potential sentence of up to 12 years in prison for assisting a citizen from a Central Asian republic in planning terrorist-related offenses, according to the authorities. The development underscores the ongoing focus of Russian security services on preventing foreign-directed plots and disrupting networks that seek to recruit, finance, and deploy operatives for terrorism.
* The referenced terrorist organization has been banned in Russia.