Russian Colonel General claims Central Asia can be used by terrorists to transport nuclear weapons

The head of the Anti-Terrorism Center of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS ATC), Colonel General of Police Andrey Novikov declared that Kazakhstan, along with other Central Asian countries, may be used by terrorists to transport nuclear weapons, Tengrinews reports citing RIA Novosti.

He made the statement at the gathering of heads of security and intelligence agencies of the Commonwealth in Almaty.

"We also take into account another potential threat – this is the possibility that the territories of the CIS states and, in particular, the Central Asian region, will be used for transit of nuclear and other hazardous materials, as well as technologies and equipment related to weapons of mass destruction," he said.

Novikov reminded the statement made by the terrorist organisation known as the Islamic State (previously ISIS) in June claiming they got hold of nuclear weapons and were ready to use it.

"Let me remind you that the militants of this organization seized the second-largest city in Iraq Mosul, where they purported to capture dozens of kilograms of nuclear weapons from a local university. They also managed to seize assets worth about a billion dollars," he said.

Iraq's Ambassador to the UN Mohammed Ali Al Hakim told the UN that the Sunni militants captured about 40 kilograms of uranium compounds but a source in the US government said the material in question is not enriched uranium, and hence is difficult to use for weapons production, Lenta.ru reports.

Colonel General Novikov’s statement comes about a week after the IS issued a statement on YouTube, in which it declared its intentions to oust Vladimir Putin and “liberate” the Caucasus and Chechnya.

"This is a message to you oh, Vladimir Putin! These are the planes you sent to Bashar, we, God willing, will send them to you, remember that!" the Russian captions to the video suggest one of the militants as saying in Arabic. The militant added that Putin’s “throne has already tottered” and “will fall when we come”.

Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov has posted a passionate reply on his Instagram account:

“Terrorists from Syria calling themselves the Islamic State, have made a childish threat to start a war in Chechnya and the Caucasus. They only say what they are told by their masters from Western intelligence agencies. These bastards have nothing to do with Islam. They are outright enemies of Muslims around the world. (…) All countries under the control of the United States have announced sanctions against Russia but achieved nothing, and then some unwashed felon decides distinguishing himself, taking on the role of the pug. I state with full responsibility that the one who had the idea to threaten Russia and say the name of the President of our country Vladimir Putin, will be destroyed, where he did it…”

This is the map circulated on the Internet by the Islamic State purporting to show territories they would capture to create a new Caliphate. Territories of Central Asia and Caucasus are all included.

 

Black color on the map is shaded over the territories that the militants are planning to subdue. These are vast territories stretching from China’s Western border and Russia’s Southern border with Kazakhstan. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan are also shaded. Further to the West are the Middle East,  a large part of Africa, the Caucasus, Mediterranean countries, the Balkans, Hungary, Austria and even Spain.

The jihadists boasted they would redraw the world map in five years.

By Dinara Urazova