MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. Since the beginning of the year, 33 terrorist crimes have been prevented in the North Caucasus, and 260 people have been detained for planning terrorist attacks, financing terrorism, and propagating or justifying terrorism, the information center of Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) reported following a meeting held by NAC Chairman, Director of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov.

The meeting was devoted to improving the effectiveness of preventive work with youth in the North Caucasian Federal District.

"Since the beginning of the year, 260 people have been detained in the North Caucasian Federal District for preparing terrorist attacks, financing, propagating, and justifying terrorism. This year, 33 terrorist-related crimes have been prevented in the region," the NAC’s information center reported. In addition, more than 4,000 websites disseminating terrorist content have been blocked since the beginning of the year.

"Alexander Bortnikov noted that active preventive work in the district has decreased the number of terrorist-related crimes. The security of the region's information space has been significantly strengthened," NAC reported. Since the beginning of the year, more than 4,000 online resources disseminating terrorist ideology and inciting inter-ethnic conflicts have been blocked. These included numerous platforms administered by Ukrainian special services that offered quick financial gain in exchange for committing terrorist acts. Attempts to recruit minors into plotting terrorist crimes were thwarted in a timely manner at several schools.

Nevertheless, it was noted at the meeting, "the situation in the sphere of countering terrorism in the North Caucasus remains complicated, as terrorist organizations and Ukrainian special services are not scaling back their propaganda and recruitment activities, having targeted adolescents and young people as their primary objective."

The meeting participants worked out additional measures to improve the system of preventive measures in the district, and set the task for the regional and municipal entities involved in prevention to better coordinate their efforts.