Translated material
A “Russian Taliban” who was imprisoned in Guantanamo was arrested in connection with the terrorist attack in Istanbul.
In Turkey, a native of Tatarstan Airat Vakhitov was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the terrorist attack at the Istanbul airport. This is reported by Voice of America with reference to a representative of the Muslim organization "Honor Union" existing in Turkey, to which Vakhitov belongs. This information has not been officially confirmed.
The representative of the "Union of Honor" said that Vakhitov was engaged in humanitarian assistance for the Syrians, never fought in Syria or Iraq and was not a member of the "Islamic State" (the organization is recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia and banned).
According to Voice of America, Vakhitov renounced Russian citizenship in the 2000s, receiving asylum in a Middle Eastern country.
According to Voice of America sources in the Russian-speaking Muslim diaspora, Vakhitov has lived in Istanbul in recent years but traveled frequently.
- Airat Vakhitov was called the "Russian Taliban". He is also known as Salman of Bulgar. He was suspected of participating in hostilities in Afghanistan as part of the so-called "Bulgar Jamaat", which includes natives of Tatarstan and Bashkiria.
- At the end of 2001, Vakhitov was detained by the Americans in Afghanistan, after which he spent about two years in detention at the Guantanamo base. In 2004, he was handed over to Russia, where he was released. The court found no evidence of his involvement in terrorism. In 2005, Vakhitov was arrested by the FSB, but two months later he was released again without charge.
- The terrorist attack at the Istanbul airport was committed on June 28. His victims, according to the latest data, were 47 people. During the investigation of the attack, 30 people were arrested, 11 of them Russian citizens. It is assumed that two of the three suicide bombers directly involved in the attack on the airport were Russians.