Suspected Militant Jailed In Russia's Chelyabinsk Region

May 12, 2016

A suspected member of a militant group linked to Al-Qaeda has been jailed in Russia's Urals city of Magnitogorsk, local authorities say.

According to a May 12 statement by the local branch of the Federal Security Service (FSB), a suspected member of the Jannat Oshiklari militant group was found guilty of taking part in the activities of illegal armed groups and illegal weapons possession and sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison.

Investigators said that the convicted man, whose name was not disclosed, is originally from Central Asia and fought for several months alongside Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria.

He was arrested in September in Russia's Chelyabinsk region bordering with Kazakhstan.

Jannat Oshiklari, also known as Tawhid wa Jihod, is an ethnic Uzbek Islamist militant faction fighting in Syria.

The group is believed to have ties to Al-Qaeda.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax