During anti-terrorist and operational-search measures carried out by the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, criminal acts related to the secret organization, preparation for terrorism, and financing of terrorism by citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan and foreign nationals were discovered. Within the framework of those measures, it was established that Vugar Abdullayev, who was previously convicted for committing criminal acts as a member of the terrorist group "Sumgayit Jamaat," entered into criminal relations with Azerbaijani citizens Jalal Hajiyev, Javid Aliyev, Nijat Ahmadov, Nazim Aliyev, Ilkin Hasanzade, and others in order to assassinate public and religious figures in Azerbaijan. Their secret meetings and telephone conversations were recorded and documented accordingly.
It was determined through the investigation and operational measures conducted as part of the initiated criminal case that the members of the criminal association, in order to assassinate Azerbaijani citizens they had selected as targets in advance, gathered information by investigating their regular movement routes and personal security arrangements, and agreed to flee to conflict regions abroad after committing the planned criminal acts. Also, through investigations, it was determined that Jalal Hajiyev, a member of the criminal association, directly, as well as through Azerbaijani citizens Aykhan Huseynov, Elshan Askerov, Fakhreddin Imanov, Nail Rasulov, Elgun Ismayilov, and others, organized the financing of persons participating in armed conflicts on the basis of religious radicalism outside the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as internationally known terrorist organizations, through cryptocurrency systems. Through fake announcements published on social networks in connection with the commission of terrorist financing crimes by the mentioned persons, numerous reliable pieces of evidence were obtained regarding the source of funds collected under the name of performing various religious rituals, as well as the mechanisms used to transfer the money.
As a result of joint measures with the security and special services of other states, a wide circle of the criminal association, consisting of people living in different countries and participating in the financing of international terrorism, was exposed. As a result of parallel anti-terrorist measures carried out in the territories of five countries, a total of 10 members of the group were detained. Among the persons detained abroad, Elshan Asgarov was extradited to the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Members of the criminal group Vugar Abdullayev, Jalal Hajiyev, Javid Aliyev, Nijat Ahmadov, Nazim Aliyev, Ilkin Hasanzade, Aykhan Huseynov, Elshan Askerov, Fakhraddin Imanov, Nail Rasulov, and Elgun Ismayilov have been charged under Articles 214-1, 218.1, 28, and 277 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan (financing of terrorism, creation of a criminal association (organization), preparation to attempt to assassinate the life of a public or state figure), as well as other articles. They were brought to justice as accused persons in the criminal case under investigation, and by court decision, preventive measures were taken against them. At present, investigative and operational measures are continuing in the criminal case.
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