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1st LD Writethru: 6 Central Asian citizens detained in St. Petersburg for suspected terrorist activities

Xinhua, April 5, 2017 Adjust font size:

Six Central Asian nationals were detained Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Russia, on suspicion of facilitating terrorist activities and recruiting their compatriots for terrorist groups, Russian authorities said.

"The suspects had been recruiting Central Asian natives for the Nusra Front and the Islamic State since November 2015. They also tried to involve the recruits in other illicit armed groups, including those acting in other states," the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement.

Investigators have seized Islamist extremist literature, items and documents at the suspects' residences, the statement said.

The detention came after 14 people were killed and dozens injured in a bomb attack in the St. Petersburg subway Monday.

The committee said currently there is no evidence that the six detainees have links with the perpetrator of the deadly blast, but it will check all their contacts and connections. Endi