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Suspects arrested in Belarus for plotting riots

On March 21, Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko said about detentions of militants plotting an armed provocation

MINSK, March 22. /TASS/. Belarussian State Security Committee (KGB) has detained members of the White Legion organization, which is not registered at the Justice Ministry, for plotting to destabilize the country, the country’s ONT television channel said on Wednesday.

The channel broadcasted video footage of how KGB officers were breaking the door to a flat housing "a member of the extremist nationalist organization White Legion, who was named as Danilov." A smoke grenade was seized from the man who claimed it had been "used for Airsoft games."

Besides, Danilov possessed an anarchist flag, bulletproof vest, special equipment for loading rifle magazines, a short rifle and leaflets brought from Ukraine, the ONT channel said.

Belarussian public media outlets reported on Wednesday about detained people allegedly scheming to destabilize the country. The media reports mentioned members of the Patriot club training near the city of Bobruisk in the Mogilev region. The club says its activity is legal and approved by local authorities. The KGB has so far refrained from comment.

On March 21, Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko said about detentions of militants plotting an armed provocation.

"We have detained about two dozens of militants who were readying an armed provocation," Lukashenko said, noting the detainees "were training with arms in camps," and one of the camps was located near Bobruisk and Osipovichi, in the Mogilev region.

The other camps are in Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland, and the money had been funneled via Poland and Lithuania to Belarus, he said. The president stressed that Belarus is prepared to clamp down on any illegal activity and banditry.

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