MOSCOW, January 15. /ITAR-TASS/. A package of amendments submitted to the State Duma lower house of Russia's parliament on Wednesday broadens the powers of the Federal Security Service in combating terrorism and toughens the penalty for terrorism. The authors of the documents are lawmakers from all the four house factions, led by chairwoman of the house committee for security and combating corruption Irina Yarovaya (United Russia faction).

Lawmakers propose to add a new article (on funding terrorism) to the Code of Administrative Offences. Raising funds or providing financial services for organizing, preparing of carrying out at least one terrorism-related crime or supporting an organized group, illegal paramilitary formation or a criminal ring set up with the view of the commission of at least one of terrorism-related crime will be punished by a fine of one million to 60 million rubles for legal entities or a 90-day suspension of operation.

A person or legal entity punished under the new article of the Code will be entered in the database of organizations and natural persons involved in extremism or terrorism.

Non-compliance with the requirements set forth by the National Antiterrorist Committee will be punished by 3,000 to 5,000-ruble fines for citizens, and 30,000 to 50,000-ruble fines for officials with disqualification for one to three years. Legal entities will face fines of 300,000 to one million rubles or suspension of operation for up to 90 days.

The law on combating terrorism spells out the powers of executive bodies in Russian regions. The regional leadership is tasked with organizing information countermeasures against terrorism, and monitoring "public, political, socio-economic and other processes taking place in their respective provinces and having a negative impact on the situation in the sphere of combating terrorism."

Governors will participate in "social rehabilitation of persons hurt in terrorist attacks in Russia and persons who participated in combating terrorism." They will make arrangements for teaching methods of preventing terrorist attacks, minimizing their consequences and eliminating their aftermath to residents of their respective provinces.

Regional officials will take part in anti-terrorist drills with the view of stepping up cooperation between Russian executive and self-rule bodies in implementing anti-terrorist measures.