Anti-Terrorism Committee: terrorist activity in North Caucasus declining

Russian special services have prevented more than 40 planned terrorist attacks in 2016, the Adviser to the Chairman of Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee, Andrei Przhezdomsky, told the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza.

According to him, the number of Russian nationals recruited to the ISIS terrorist group outlawed in Russia is decreasing.

"There has been a decline in replenishment of ISIS’s units from Russia’s territory and a drop in terrorist activity in Russia's North Caucasus republics.

Przhezdomsky noted that ISIS ringleaders now have to transform their activities, structure them from abroad and create small gangs.

"Emissaries who used to come from Syria and Turkey now not only look for perpetrators of terrorist attacks but also form sleeper cells that are to carry out terror attacks by a signal," he said.

Sometimes they also act as couriers and coordinators," Przhezdomsky added.

Chairman of Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee recalled that these groups are funded by means of electronic banking.

He noted that 69 of the so-called moderators and recruiters have been arrested and criminal cases have been initiated against them.

First Deputy Head of Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee, Igor Kulyagin, said that terrorist attacks were thwarted in Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Republic of Ingushetia and particularly near the French embassy.

He noted that in 2016 anti-terrorist activities were carried out amid the high level of terror threats emanating from the international terrorist groups and gang leaders operating in Russia. 

"Last year, more than 140 militants and 24 leaders were killed. More than 900 gunmen and their accomplices were detained," Igor Kulyagin said.

Answering a question from Vestnik Kavkaza, Kulyagin said that not only inhabitants of the North Caucasus tried to join terrorist organizations last year.

"This is the Volga region and other regions, including Central Russia. Therefore, it would be wrong to say that the flow of those wishing to join terrorist organizations is concentrated in a particular region of the country," the First Deputy Head of Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee explained.

He also added that Russia is closely cooperating with Turkey and Iran in the fight against terrorism.