BAKU, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan's State Security Service (SSS) said Friday that 10 people had been detained in joint counterterrorism operations conducted in five countries against an alleged criminal group.
The group is allegedly involved in planning attacks on public and religious figures and financing terrorism, the SSS said.
The agency said the suspects had monitored the movements and security arrangements of Azerbaijani citizens they had selected as targets and planned to flee to conflict zones abroad after carrying out the attacks.
The group was also allegedly involved in financing individuals engaged in armed conflicts abroad on the basis of religious radicalism, as well as internationally recognized terrorist organizations, using cryptocurrency, according to the SSS.
The agency said it had also obtained evidence about the source of funds collected through fake social media advertisements purportedly offering various religious rites, as well as the mechanisms used to transfer the money.
One of those detained abroad was extradited to Azerbaijan. ■
