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Russia foils Olympic plot

May 10, 2012

Russia's security service has thwarted a plot to stage attacks during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, according to the country's anti-terrorist committee. Moscow alleges that Chechen rebels were behind the plans.

https://p.dw.com/p/14sn5
Ice Arena 'Shaiba' under construction in Sochi
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

The National Anti-Terrorist Committee (NAK) in Russia said on Thursday it uncovered an attempt by Caucasus militants to carry out attacks on the southern city.

"Russia's FSB (security service) was able to establish that the fighters planned to move the weapons to Sochi from 2012 to 2014 and use them to carry out terrorist acts before and during the Olympic Games," the NAK said.

According to the NAK, FSB agents confiscated a cache of weapons that included shoulder-launched missiles, explosives and grenade launchers during raids last week in the breakaway Georgian province of Abkhazia.

The plot is thought to have been masterminded by Doku Umarov, the leader of an Islamist group called Caucasus Emirate.

The NAK said that the weapons were smuggled into Abkhazia with assistance from Georgian security services and illegal armed groups in Turkey.

ncy, mz/ng (AFP, Reuters)