Baku: Azerbaijan's State Security Service (SSS) has conducted extensive counterterrorism operations across five countries, leading to the detention of ten individuals involved in criminal activities related to terrorism. According to Azeri-Press News Agency, these operations exposed clandestine organizations involved in preparing terrorist acts and financing terrorism by both Azerbaijani and foreign citizens.
The SSS Press Service revealed that Vugar Abdullayev, previously convicted as a member of the terrorist group "Sumgayit Jamaat," was found to be conspiring with Azerbaijani citizens Jalal Hajiyev, Javid Aliyev, Nijat Ahmadov, Nazim Aliyev, Ilkin Hasanzade, and others to assassinate public and religious figures in Azerbaijan. Their secret meetings and telephone conversations were recorded and documented as part of the investigation.
Investigations also uncovered that the criminal organization had gathered information on the travel routes and security arrangements of targeted Azerbaijani citizens. They planned to flee to conflict zones abroad after executing their criminal acts. Furthermore, Jalal Hajiyev was identified as organizing the financing of individuals involved in armed conflicts abroad through cryptocurrency systems, collaborating with Azerbaijani citizens residing abroad, including Aykhan Huseynov, Elshan Asgarov, Fakhraddin Imanov, Nail Rasulov, and Elgun Ismayilov.
The investigation provided credible evidence of funds collected under the guise of religious rituals, used to finance terrorism through fake social media advertisements. Joint operations with international security and intelligence agencies helped expose a broader network of individuals involved in financing international terrorism. During simultaneous operations conducted in five countries, ten members of the group were detained, with Elshan Asgarov extradited to Azerbaijan.
The detained individuals, including Vugar Abdullayev, Jalal Hajiyev, Javid Aliyev, Nijat Ahmadov, Nazim Aliyev, Ilkin Hasanzade, Aykhan Huseynov, Elshan Asgarov, Fakhraddin Imanov, Nail Rasulov, and Elgun Ismayilov, face charges under multiple articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. These charges include financing terrorism, establishing a criminal organization, and preparation for an assassination attempt on a state or public figure. They have been placed in pre-trial detention as investigations continue.