Russia Jails Moldovan For Planning Terror Attacks

Russian courts sentenced a Moldovan national, Victor Feodorovich, on Wednesday to 18 years in jail in close detention for involvement in planned Islamist terror attacks. His three Tajik colleagues received 15 and 16- year jail terms.

The Moscow military court found all the defendants in the case guilty of all charges brought against them. Russian state prosecutor Pavel Yemelyanov said he was completely satisfied with the verdict, according to Interfax news agency.

Russia's internal intelligence service, the FSB, detained the group, allegedly coordinated by Islamic State, ISIS, in December 2016, as they were planning to carry out terrorist attacks.

During searches, Russian authorities found a large number of explosive materials and other materials for making bombs, as well as automatic guns.

The police operation was conducted together with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan authorities; hundred of citizens from the two mainly Muslim former Soviet republics have joined Islamic State over the years.

In November 2015, Moldova's then Minister of Defence, Anatol Salaru, stated that some ISIS followers who had fought in Syria had since returned home and were now in Moldova.