This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/413307-fsb-isis-petersburg-attack/
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Russia’s FSB detains ISIS cell members planning attacks in St. Petersburg | Russia’s FSB detains ISIS cell members planning attacks in St. Petersburg |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained seven people suspected of being members of a terrorist cell linked to Islamic State, the agency reported. A series of bombings was planned for Saturday, it said. | |
| The attacks were planned to involve “a suicide bomber blowing [himself] up inside a religious facility and the murder of civilians with improvised explosive devises in places of mass gatherings,” the FSB statement said. | The attacks were planned to involve “a suicide bomber blowing [himself] up inside a religious facility and the murder of civilians with improvised explosive devises in places of mass gatherings,” the FSB statement said. |
| The cell members were detained overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, the FSB reported. During the raid, law enforcement agents seized “a large amount of explosive materials, elements of IEDs, automatic arms, ammunition and extremist literature.” A bomb-making workshop was dismantled as part of the bust. | The cell members were detained overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, the FSB reported. During the raid, law enforcement agents seized “a large amount of explosive materials, elements of IEDs, automatic arms, ammunition and extremist literature.” A bomb-making workshop was dismantled as part of the bust. |
| The statement stressed that the cell was coordinating its plans with IS masterminds via a Telegram messenger chat channel. | The statement stressed that the cell was coordinating its plans with IS masterminds via a Telegram messenger chat channel. |
| Earlier this week, FSB head Aleksandr Bortnikov reported foiling a terrorist plot which would have involved bombings during the New Year celebration and upcoming presidential election campaign. The schemes also involved a cell with links to IS. | Earlier this week, FSB head Aleksandr Bortnikov reported foiling a terrorist plot which would have involved bombings during the New Year celebration and upcoming presidential election campaign. The schemes also involved a cell with links to IS. |
| St. Petersburg was the scene of the most recent high-profile terrorist attack in Russia. A suicide bomber blew himself up in April on a metro train as it was traveling between two stations. The attack claimed six lives on the spot and killed the bomber, while eight more victims succumbed to their injuries later. A second IED was left by the perpetrator in another location but was disarmed before it could detonate. | St. Petersburg was the scene of the most recent high-profile terrorist attack in Russia. A suicide bomber blew himself up in April on a metro train as it was traveling between two stations. The attack claimed six lives on the spot and killed the bomber, while eight more victims succumbed to their injuries later. A second IED was left by the perpetrator in another location but was disarmed before it could detonate. |
| Following an investigation, the FSB also singled out Telegram as the main communication tool used by terrorists to prepare and conduct the metro attack. |