6 men detained in St. Petersburg for suspected ties to ISIS, Al-Nusra
Officials in St. Petersburg, Russia, have arrested six men with alleged ties to the Islamic State and Al-Nusra on charges of abetting terrorism, The Moscow Times reports. Wednesday's arrests follow a deadly metro bombing in the city Monday that left 14 dead and more than 40 people wounded.
On Tuesday, Russia and Kyrgyzstan's security services identified a 22-year-old Kyrgyz-born Russian citizen as the suspect for the metro attack. Russia's Investigative Committee said that there is no link between the six men they arrested Wednesday and Monday's terrorist attack, but that they are in the process of "check[ing] all channels and contacts."
The Moscow Times adds that "the men, who are described as migrant workers from Central Asia, are suspected of attempting to recruit other Central Asian migrants in St. Petersburg to join terrorist groups." The suspects are believed to have been working for ISIS and Al-Nusra in St. Petersburg since November 2015. The city is home to a large diaspora from Central Asia.
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