Baku, May 30 (AZERTAC). The Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan issued a statement on anti-terror operations, which reminded about the detention of Vugar Padarov’s group, who were planning terrorist and provocative acts to break socio-political stability in Azerbaijan, public relations center of the ministry told APA. The statement reads: “The specially trained armed group supplied with different types of weapons, ammunitions, explosives and other equipments, aimed to commit series of terrorist attacks in some regions of Azerbaijan, to create the mood of uncontrolled situation and anarchy in the country, confusion and fear among the population, ethnic and religious confrontation, to violate stability and damage the international image of the republic. They were planning to commit explosions and other dangerous actions against the prayer houses, mosques and other places belonged to religious confessions. They were also planning to attack the law-enforcement organizations, to kill their staffs and seize arms and ammunitions in the administrative buildings. The armed group also considered to prepare places, trench shelters in the regions and mountainous areas and forests bordering with Dagestan Republic of the Russian Federation to conceal its units. The Ministry of National Security conducted large-scale special operations in Baku, Ganja, Sumgayit cities, Gakh, Zagatala, Sheki, Gusar, Absheron, Khachmaz and Shabran regions to disarm the transnational criminal group, which threatened the socio-political life of the Republic of Azerbaijan and to prevent the terrorist attacks planned by them. The security forces also prevented the resistance of the armed groups, killed Vugar Padarov and disarmed and detained most of the group members.”

One of the main goals of the transnational criminal armed group was to commit terrorist and provocative actions, explosions and armed attacks in Baku to cause heavy human losses on the eve of the Eurovision 2012 song contest. Details about this dangerous transnational armed group were not publicized in that period to save good mood on the eve of and during the Eurovision contest and not to create concerns and fear among the citizens of Azerbaijan and foreign guests. But relevant organizations seriously controlled the situation and took intensive security measures. 

22 other members of the group were detained as a result of anti-terror operations continued for the prevention of their illegal plans and actions. During the anti-terror operation held on May 16, 2012 in Nizami district of Baku, one of the group members, citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan Huseynov Timur Ruslan refused to surrender and fired on the security forces threatening the lives and health of government representatives. Timur Huseynov was killed by the security forces. Two officers of the Ministry of National Security were wounded during the operation. 

One of the gang leaders Saniyev Samir “Abu Ubeyda” Fakhraddin, who was given the same power with Vugar Padarov for committing terror acts and appointed “amir”, could escape during the operation. The complex operational search actions were held for his detainment, all corresponding bodies were informed. 

Saniyev was detained by Gazakh region’s police officers while attempting to leave Azerbaijan. He maintained armed resistance and injured a police officer through the pistol. Saniyev was disarmed, 1 “Stechkin” pistol, 40 cartridges and 2 chargers were seized from him. 

The other new facts were found by the investigation process on the illegal acts of armed gang. It was revealed that Vugar Padarov and Elmir Nuraliyev, as well as Samir Saniyev participated in the discussions held on declaration of armed “jihad” in “Council of Dagestan’s amirs” held near Kadar village of Dagestan in February, 2011. 

Then the “council of amirs” gave relevant tasks and large amount of money to Vugar Padarov, Samir Saniyev and Elmir Nuraliyev. “Amir of Dagestan front” Ibrahimkhalil “Saleh” Daudov appointed Padarov “amir” and the video appeal about it was copied to the memory of the mobile telephone. 

In July, 2011, Padarov, Saniyev and Nuraliyev illegally crossed the protected state border from Dagestan Republic of Russia towards Gusar region of Azerbaijan with different types and numbers of ammunitions and arrived in Azerbaijan. According to achieved agreement, gang member Amir Muradov met Padarov, Saniyev and Nuraliyev in Gusar region and drove them to Sumgayit. Saniyev left for Baku from here, Padarov, Nuraliyev and Amir Muradov left for Zagatala. 

At the same time, it was determined that Padarov, Saniyev and Nuraliyev were instructed to operate together and individually by the international terrorist network for committing range of terrorist acts in Azerbaijan, creating fear, ethnic and religious confrontations among the population and damaging the republic’s prestige in the international world. According to the tasks, Padarov and members of armed gang, which was led by him, had to commit terrorist attack against the Azerbaijani President during his visit to the north-west region of the country in April this year, as well as to attack the law-enforcement bodies, kill the employees of these structures and seize the ammunitions in the administrative buildings, explode several sanctuaries, mosques and the shrines belonging to the other religious confessions. Nuraliyev and Padarov carried out reconnaissance work for the purpose of committing the abovementioned terror acts in Baku city, to determine the attack targets, including schemes, working regimes, number of staff of buildings of several state agencies, sniper positions and the other factors. In his turn, Saniyev and his armed gang planned to commit explosions in the places populated most of all by the foreigners, including Hilton Baku and JW Marriot Hotel Absheron and the other hotels, as well as in Baku Crystal Hall and State Flag Square by acquiring the tickets for the Eurovision-2012 Song Contest. 

The members of the armed group planned to hide in the shelter and mud-hut, which were prepared in the mountainous region and forestland in Azerbaijan’s northern regions in advance, and act together with extra terrorist forces which would come from Dagestan, after perpetrating this horrible terrorist acts and creating chaos in the country. Samir Saniyev and his obedient people obtained in great amount of explosive substances for preparation of explosive devices and Huseynov Timur and the others observed the targets where they will commit terrorist act. Besides it, it was determined that Samir Saniyev bought Nissan Pathfinder using financial means which he brought to commit terrorist acts. According to his plan, the explosive substances were planned to be stowed to this car, as well as the cars of other group members and then planned to be parked in the main square of Azerbaijan, parking places of Hilton Baku and JW Marriot Hotel and the other hotels. At the same time, getting ticket to the final of the international song contest Timur Huseynov planned to enter Baku Crystal Hall, detonate the bomb, which was recognized as a shock bomb by the experts and achieve mass crush intended losses and damages. At the same time the explosive substances in the cars outside the hotels were also planned to be activated. It was also considered to blast one more bomb with the same method in the settlements near the Flag Square in Bayil settlement. 

But as results of preventive anti-terrorist measures, as well as professionalism of the employees of the law enforcement bodies and their courage showed at the expense of their lives, the explosions and other terrorist acts, which could cause mass losses, have been decidedly prevented in time and Azerbaijan saved its image as the stable and secure country. 

40 members of the armed group have been arrested so far, 13 submachine guns, a “RPK” machinegun, different types of pistols, 3 carbines, 3424 types of various calibre cartridges, 66 charges for machinegun and pistol, 23 “RGD-5”, 26 “F-1” and 3 “RG-42” hand grenades, a lot of grenade detonators, specially prepared different explosive devices, 2352,22 gr explosives in the plastids, two 10-litr containers with approximately 20 kg of explosives, 675 gr TNT blocks, 19 explosive electric detonator, 19 detonators and chargers, 48 “Kenwood” communication units, different forbidden by law military sipplies and objects, various silent weapon, literature propagandizing terrorism and holy war were seized from them. Besides it, a great number of different schemes and special information for international terrorism and toy-cars with explosive substances: 438,2 gr plastids, 200 and 75 gr TNT blocks, chargers, an explosive container with iron flakes - causing serious injures in different directions and killing people within the radius of 100 m were confiscated. 

The detection of explosives that just may be in any cylindrical shape and can’t be identified with simple control detector and can be used in crowded places to decimate people, to destroy people’s health causing injures and wounds shows intentions and wide scopes of international terrorism. Number of investigative actions and search transactions dealing with investigation of criminal cause from all sides, finding and detaining new members are carried out.