Azerbaijan neutralizes organized criminal group recruiting citizens to fight in Syria

A group of persons recruiting Azerbaijani citizens to fight in Syria have been arrested, reports APA with reference to joined statement of press-services of Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Statement said that law enforcement authorities carried out another special counter crime operation in Terter District.

A district resident appealed to the Defense Ministry over his teenage son having been radicalized and sent to Syria where he is now fighting with illegal armed groups.

Thorough investigations revealed an organized criminal group consisting of extremist persons who preach religious intolerance and discrimination and make arrangements for different individuals in the district to join various illegal armed groups operating abroad. As a result of the special operation conducted by the ministry’s special-purpose forces, the Main Organized Crime Department, Terter District Police Office and Prosecutor’s Office, 4 members of the group – previously imprisoned Zulfugar Ibrahimov, Mubariz Mirzaliyev, Shamsaddin Abdullazade and Vugar Aliyev were detained.

A submachine gun with two loading cases, 800 grams of explosives, 9 hand grenades, 170 cartridges, a large number of banned religious books, CDs and other material evidences were seized from their houses.

The criminal case has been launched on the fact.

Urgent investigation is underway to expose criminal connections of the organized group, identify and detain other members of the group.

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