A Dagestani resident was convicted of plotting a terrorist attack on a school in Makhachkala.

The Southern District Military Court sentenced Vadim Abdullaev to 14 years in prison for participating in the Islamic State* terrorist organization and inciting a terrorist attack at a school in Makhachkala.

According to the court, on April 30, 2023, the convicted man swore allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State*, an international terrorist organization banned in Russia. During the same period, in April 2023, while in Makhachkala, Abdullaev attempted to recruit three citizens to join a criminal group. As the investigation established, he persuaded them to take the oath and subsequently spread the organization's ideology.

According to the case materials, in May 2023, the defendant continued to persuade the same individuals to join the organization. In particular, he proposed creating a terrorist group and undergoing the appropriate training necessary to commit a terrorist act on the territory of one of Makhachkala's educational institutions, TASS reported, citing the press service of the Southern District Military Court.

The court qualified the defendant's actions under two articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: assistance to terrorist activity and organizing the activities of a terrorist organization and participating in the activities of such an organization .

Following the review of the case, Abdullaev was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, with the first five years to be served in prison and the remainder of the term to be served in a maximum-security penal colony. The verdict can be appealed.

"Kavkazsky Knot" also reported that the court sentenced a Dagestani resident to 13 years in prison after finding him guilty of attempting to create an illegal armed group and recruiting acquaintances, including two teenagers, into it.

* is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

** The activities of Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) are banned in Russia.