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FSB chief says terrorists adopting 'autonomous jihad' tactics

The FSB chief stressed that "the militants usually target civilians and law enforcers, as well as public infrastructure facilities"

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Terrorists are adopting the tactics of the so-called "autonomous jihad", Director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov said at the 43rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Security Bodies and Special Services of CIS member states.

"The terrorist tactics have been changing. The leaders of international terrorist organizations have been encouraging their supporters to carry out the so-called ‘autonomous jihad’," he said.

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Russian top brass claim terrorists in Syria use 'swarming' tactics

The FSB chief stressed that "the militants usually target civilians and law enforcers, as well as public infrastructure facilities."

The FSB press service told TASS earlier that delegations from the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service and the CIS Executive Committee, as well as representatives of the special services of Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia and France, have been invited to the meeting. The agenda particularly includes ways to deal with militants returning from the Middle East. Besides, there will also be meetings of commissions on scientific and technical cooperation, information security and the fight against drug trafficking. The head of the CIS Anti-Terrorist Center will present a report concerning the past drills and the Center’s plans for 2018.

The meeting of the Council of the Heads of Security Bodies and Special Services of CIS member states is taking place ahead of the centennial anniversary of the Russian special services, which will be celebrated on December 20. Members of the participant delegations will attend events dedicated to the anniversary.

The terrorists in Syria

Russia’s special services in cooperation with their counterparts in the CIS countries have exposed eleven channels of removing recruits from the zone of combat operations in Syria, Aleksandr Bortnikov noted.

"Joint efforts have exposed and plugged eleven channels of relocating recruits from the zone of combat operations in Syria," Bortnikov told the 43rd meeting of the chiefs of security and secret services of the CIS countries.

Thwarted attacks

Intelligence services have prevented a number of terrorists attacks in Russia and Central Asian countries, according to the FSB.

"A number of terrorist attacks have been prevented in Russia and Central Asian countries, threats of militant attacks on our countries’ diplomatic missions abroad have been neutralized," Bortnikov said.

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