Azerbaijan, Baku, March 19 / Trend , A. Huseynbala /
In 2009, 49 people accused of preparing organization of terrorist acts in the country were arrested, National Security Minister Eldar Mahmudov said.
According to him, in order to protect the country from terrorist threats by operative agencies the Ministry continuously carries out complex anti-terror measures.
"As a result of successive adequate measures, 49 people from whom a large quantity of arms and explosives have been seized, arrested as a defendant in preparation for organizing terror acts on the territory of the county," Mahmudov said.
According to him, as a result of measures taken to combat international terrorism, the group consisting of 31 persons, who are Azerbaijan citizens professing the religion of radical persuasion and who planned organizing terrorist acts in the country, was rendered harmless. Also, activities of criminal groups planning organization contract killings as a result of preventive measures, have been prevented, the Minister said.
According to Mahmudov, the Ministry made criminally responsible a group consisting of Azerbaijani citizens, participated in military trainings and operations in uncontrolled areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan in the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. "Criminal cases against 18 persons were sent to the court, four persons are wanted international search. By the way, an active member of "Forest Brothers" paramilitary group, which in 2008 committed a terrorist attack against the Abu Bakr Mosque and later hid abroad, was arrested and brought to investigation, the minister said.
Mahmudov said that deep and systematic study of all factors affecting the security of our country, control over them is of particular importance. "Also, the Ministry has continued its successive efforts in combating drug trafficking, illegal migration, human trafficking, money laundering, cybercrime and other forms of organized crime. During this period activities of 32 transnational organized criminal groups involved in drug trafficking was prevented. In general, over one ton of 141 kilograms of drugs was seized. About 114 people have been made criminally responsible on 38 criminal cases. Prosecution was held in connection with illegal migration, trafficking, manufacturing and use of false documents" Mahmudov said.
He said in 2009 15 criminal facts were revealed in corruption and economic activity. "These include arrested fifteen members of an organized criminal group, who take the cards "VİSA" of foreign nationals, illegally visited the official site of JSC AZAL and arranged purchase of air tickets for different routes, causing the company AZAL significant damage. Also five members of another organized crime group, who knowing numbers and codes of a large number of plastic cards belonging to foreign nationals, carried out by means of these cards multiple electronic payment," the minister said.