18 people suspected of planning terrorist attacks apprehended in Atyrau

Atyrau police apprehended 18 people suspected of preparing terrorist attacks, Interfax-Kazakhstan reports. According to the prosecutor of Atyrau oblast Seifulla Kemalov, six of them were arrested. “We had all reasons for their apprehension on suspicion of preparation of terrorist attacks,” the prosecutor said at the briefing. He added that all of them are residents of Atyrau oblast. A criminal case on Terrorism charges has been initiated. Kazakhstan Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that 20 people were arrested in Atyrau on August 31, Tengrinews.kz reports. “20 people suspected in committing felonies were arrested. Investigation is in process. Details will be made available later,” official representative of the Interior Ministry Nurdilda Oraz said. He told about two wanted criminals. “They are wanted for commitment of certain crimes. We don’t have any information on their involvement in preparation of terrorist attacks and other crimes,” Oraz said. Earlier Tengrinews.kz English reported that Kazakhstan law enforcement authorities eradicated an extremist group in Atyrau on August 29. One of the members of the group resisted arrest on August 29 and was killed with return fire. According to Kemalov, elements of self-made explosive device, extrimist religious literature and fire arms were discovered in a search in his house right after. According to KazTAG, the operation to arrest the group was held in the evening and lasted for about an hour. As per the press-secretary of Atyrau oblast Prosecutor's Office Svetlana Dzhumasheva, Special Forces spent much time identifying the house where criminals hid. All the roads in the area were blocked for the time of the operation. Meanwhile, Atyrau newspaper Akzhaiyk reported that around 30 people suspected of connections with radical religious groups were arrested in the last few days. “Some of them were arrested right in the streets or in public transport, which caused additional panic among the population. Almost all of them are still kept in investigatory isolation wards,” the newspaper writes citing unofficial sources in law enforcement authorities.