Uzbek citizen faces 15 years imprisonment for alleged contacts with IS 

In Novosibirsk, a trial of the Uzbek citizen Abduvakhid Mirzaboyev has begun, Kommersant reports.

FSS investigators charged him with recruiting new joiners into the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, as well as funding it. In accordance with Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (facilitating terrorism), he faces up to 15 years in prison.

In Novosibirsk, the first court hearing on the case of Abduvakhid Mirzaboyev took place on Tuesday. In 2016, Mirzaboyev graduated from Fergana College and came to Siberia to work. For some time he lived in Irkutsk, and then moved to Novosibirsk. With a labor patent he got a job on one of the construction sites. After some time he was suspected of links with ISIS terrorists and was arrested. The main evidence of guilt in the case was the migrant's electronic correspondence in instant messengers.

As indicated in the investigation materials, in the spring of 2018, Mirzaboyev, via Telegram channel, started communicating with a fellow countryman named Mukhammad, who was member of the “Jamaat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad” - one of the numerous IS units. According to the stories of a new acquaintance, their formation was located in the province of Idlib and led fierce battles with the regular Syrian army over the specified territories. The countryman asked to transfer money to Qiwi-wallet for the purchase of ammunition and sent the details.

According to the investigation, Mirzaboyev transferred 133.84 rubles through the payment terminal, promising to send more (operative officers believe that this was the so-called "test payment").

At the same time, according to security officials, millions of funds accumulated on the bank account were used by militants and the IS received very tangible support. Later, two more jihadists began to write and ask Mirzaboyev for money. One of them called to send 60,000 rubles (around $1,000).

In addition to financing IS, Mirzaboyev is charged with recruiting new members to the terrorist organization. According to law enforcement officials, the accused offered his countrymen to join the terrorists.

“Muslims here are not committed followers, true co-religionists are in Syria and defend Islam,” he allegedly told his fellow countryman, in addition to showing a video footage of the indicative execution of “infidels”.

The case materials contain information that in the summer of 2018, the handyman himself tried to go to Syria to stand under the IS flag, but the security forces intervened in these plans. In February 2019, the investigation was completed.

The criminal case is considered by the Far Eastern district military court at a mobile meeting in Novosibirsk. On the first day of the process, Mirzaboyev accepted the blame on financial assistance of the IS. He disagreed with the charge of recruiting new personnel for a terrorist group.

Also, participants in the court proceedings interrogated Mirzaboyev's compatriot, with whom he rented an apartment.