The Investigative Committee of Russia in cooperation with the Federal Security Service and the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of Russia has suppressed the activities of Dagestan citizen Saadu Akhmednabiev who had organized collection of funds for international terrorist organizations in a number of constituents of the Russian Federation.

The Main Investigations Directorate over North Caucasus Federal District of the Investigative Committee of Russia launched the probe into him under Part 4 of Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia (organization of financing terrorism). The suspect has been detained; due to the gravity of the committed offense, the investigation intends to motion the court to rule for putting him into custody.

According to the investigation, in 2015-2019, Saadu Akhmednabiev together with his brother Israil Akhmednabiev also known as Abu-Umar Sasitlinsky, operating from the Turkish and Syrian Arab Republics, had organized the financing of the international terrorist organization Islamic State (banned in Russia by the Supreme Court decision) through the collection of money under disguise o charity in Russia. Apart from that, Abu-Umar Sasitlinsky, being in the Syrian Arab Republic, had instituted Islamic charity funds entitled Mukhadjirun and Ansar in order to finance the designated terrorist organization. During the said period, they had collected at least 2 million rubles for financing terrorism.

Investigators of the Main Investigations Directorate over North Caucasus Federal District of the Investigative Committee of Russia jointly with the Department K, the Software Assistance Department, the Aviation Department, the Special Purpose Centre of the Federal Security Service, the Dagestan Republican Directorate of the Federal Security Service, and the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of Russia over Khasavyurt District and the Makhachkala city of the Dagestan Republic, carried out large-scale activities including searches at the places of residence of the convict and his close relatives.

At present, the investigation is establishing roles and exact actions the suspect had taken about financing terrorism and checking his involvement in other offenses not related to this criminal case. Abu-Umar Sasitlinsky was declared wanted internationally. Apart from that, active measures are being taken to identify other perpetrators involved in the offense. The criminal investigation is ongoing.

Video commentary for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_bYlDQp27I

Official spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Russia S. Petrenko