Terrorist suspects detained in Moscow trained at Islamic State camps in Syria — FSB

The suspects of plotting a terrorist attack in Moscow were trained at Islamic State camps in Syria, a spokesman of the Russian Security Service (FSB, former KGB) said on Monday.

Some of them "arrived in Russia long before the start of the Russian military operation in Syria," the spokesman said.

Suspects detained in Moscow have planned terrorist attacks on public transport in the Russian capital, he added. "During questioning of two suspects, it became clear that they planned to stage terrorist attacks on Moscow’s public transport. Gang ringleaders supplied them with financial resources and components of SVU sniper rifles," FSB said.

"In the course of search operations, Russia’s Federal Security Service uncovered a group of Russian citizens preparing a terrorist attack in the Moscow Region. An address in Moscow was determined where 6-11 people spent time. Some of them underwent training in Islamic State camps on the Syrian territory and arrived to Russia long before Russia launched a military operation in the Syrian Arab Republic," FSB said.

The apartment was blocked and people inside it detained. FSB found explosives in the apartment. Suspects were charged with preparing a terrorist attack and illegally using explosives.

Bomb seized in Moscow apartment contains 5 kg of explosive

The security service said the bomb that was seized from suspected terrorists in Moscow contained 5 kg of explosive and was ready for use.

"The presence of an explosive substance was detected in the apartment, due to which the house’s dwellers were evacuated, domestic gas supply was disconnected and a team of bomb disposal experts of the FSB department for Moscow and the Moscow region was dispatched to the scene," the FSB reported.

The bomb squad inspected the apartment and found a ready-to-go explosive device (5 kg) based on ammonium nitrate. The items seized as a result of the apartment search included an industrial electric exploder, scales for weighing the explosive components, mobile communications equipment, a set of tools and an instruction manual for making improvised explosive devices.

Islamic State extremist organization

The Islamic State is an extremist organization banned in Russia. In 2013-2014, it called itself the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In June 2014, IS announce the establishment of the "Islamic caliphate" on the territories seized in Iraq and Syria. According to US’ Central Intelligence Agency, the extremist group includes around 30,000 people, while Iraqi authorities claim there are around 200,000 in IS. Among members of the group are citizens of 80 countries, including France, Great Britain, Germany, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, US, Canada, as well as Russia and other CIS countries. According to reports, militants now control around 40% of the Iraqi territory and 50% of the Syrian territory.