Anti-terror and operational-search measures carried out by the State Security Service (SSS) of the Republic of Azerbaijan have uncovered criminal activities of Azerbaijani and foreign citizens involving secret organization, preparation for terrorism, and financing of terrorism.

The SSS told Operativ Media about this.

As part of these measures, it was established that Vugar Abdullayev, previously convicted of crimes committed within the "Sumgait Jamaat" terrorist group, entered into a criminal conspiracy 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 phone conversations for this purpose were recorded and documented accordingly.

The investigation of the criminal case established that the members of the criminal association gathered information by studying the daily routes and security details of the Azerbaijani citizens they targeted for assassination, and agreed to flee to conflict zones abroad after committing the planned crimes.

The investigation also revealed that Jalal Hajiyev, a member of the criminal association, organized the financing of individuals participating in armed conflicts abroad on the grounds of religious radicalism, including internationally recognized terrorist organizations, through cryptocurrency systems. He did this directly as well as through Azerbaijani citizens abroad, including Aykhan Huseynov, Elshan Asgarov, Fakhraddin Imanov, Nail Rasulov, Elgun Ismayilov, and others.

Numerous credible pieces of evidence were obtained regarding the sources of funds collected under the guise of performing various religious rituals through fake advertisements posted on social networks, as well as the money transfer mechanisms used by these individuals to finance terrorism.

As a result of joint operations with the security and intelligence services of other states, a broad network of a criminal association consisting of individuals based in various countries involved in financing international terrorism was exposed. A total of 10 members of the group were detained during parallel anti-terror operations across five countries. Among those detained abroad, Elshan Asgarov was extradited to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Criminal group members Vugar Abdullayev, Jalal Hajiyev, Javid Aliyev, Nijat Ahmadov, Nazim Aliyev, Ilkin Hasanzade, Aykhan Huseynov, Elshan Asgarov, Fakhraddin Imanov, Nail Rasulov, and Elgun Ismayilov have been charged as defendants in the ongoing criminal investigation under Articles 214-1, 218.1, 28, and 277 (financing of terrorism, creation of a criminal association (organization), and preparation for an attempt on the life of a state or public figure) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and have been remanded in custody by court order.

Operational and investigative measures in the criminal case are currently ongoing.