Terror-related crime in Russia plunged over past 5 years, says senior security official

Russian Politics & Diplomacy May 24, 2017, 14:28

34 such crimes were recorded in Russia last year vs. 365 cases in 2011

KRASNOYARSK, May 24. /TASS/. The number of terrorism-related crimes in Russia has dropped more than 90% over the past five years, a senior official from the National Counter-Terrorism Committee told a conference covering the war on terror in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk on Wednesday.

"Fighting terrorism has borne fruit. The number of terror-related crimes has dropped more than 90% across Russia in the past five years," Alexei Kovalyov said, noting that 34 such crimes were recorded in Russia last year vs. 365 cases in 2011.

However, terrorism has turned into a major international threat, going beyond state boundaries, said Kovalyov, the deputy head of the Committee’s staff.

He said more than 1,000 Russian nationals have headed to Middle East countries in the past two years to join international terrorist groups. More than 150 people have been prevented from joining up with terrorists, with 90 of them ending up being indicted, the senior officer said.

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