ROSTOV-ON-DON, December 17. /TASS/. Officers of the Rostov Regional Directorate of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) foiled an attempted terrorist attack in a prison, planned by inmates holding citizenship of a Central Asian country, the directorate’s press service reported.

"The Rostov Regional Directorate of the Russian Federal Security Service has evidence of illegal activities by citizens of one of the Central Asian countries involved in preparing a terrorist attack on the territory of a penitentiary institution in the Rostov Region. The suspects, who support an organization recognized as terrorist, while serving their sentences in the correctional facility, developed a plan to take hostages among the institution’s staff and to set buildings on fire," the statement said.

During the searches, security forces uncovered improvised stabbing weapons, pieces of fabric bearing the flag of a banned terrorist organization, and cell phones.

Criminal cases have been opened against three foreign nationals on attempted criminal and terrorism charges, the FSB said.