FSB: A terrorist attack in St. Petersburg is prevented. Terrorists were guided by Telegram

The FSB of Russia prevented the attack in St. Petersburg, which the supporters of the Islamic State planned to be arranged on December 16. This was reported by Interfax with reference to the press service of the FSB.

On December 13-14, law enforcement officers detained seven participants in the conspiracy ISIS cell. With the help of a suicide bomber, they intended to arrange an explosion “in one of the cult institutions”, as well as blow up home-made bombs “in places of mass location of people”.

“A significant number of explosives, components of home -made explosive devices, automatic weapons, ammunition, extremist literature” were seized from the detainees, an explosive laboratory was also eliminated. The press service of the FSB noted that the cell management was carried out by the leaders of ISIS from abroad through the Telegram messenger.

Later, on December 15, the press service of the Vyborg District Court of St. Petersburg reported that Evgeny Efimov was arrested, accused of preparing the explosion of the Kazan Cathedral. According to the court, in the process, Efimov explained that he illegally made a substance for the explosion of the Kazan Cathedral on December 17.

On April 3, 2017, an explosion occurred in the metro of St. Petersburg, as a result of which 16 people were killed (including a suicide bomber who arranged an explosion), about a hundred were injured. Then the FSB also stated that Telegram was used in the preparation of the attack.

In October, Telegram was fined in Russia for 800 thousand rubles for refusing to transmit the FSB information that allows user messages to decode. As Republic found out , the FSB demanded from Telegram data for decryption on phones related to the alleged organizers of the attack in the St. Petersburg metro.