MOSCOW — Russian intelligence foiled a terror attack on this week’s massive Victory Day memorial march in Moscow, a top Russian diplomat said on Friday.

About 1 million people marched through central Moscow on Wednesday in the annual Immortal Regiment rally, carrying pictures of family members killed in World War II. President Vladimir Putin and visiting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined the march on May 9, the day when Russia marks the end of the war.

Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said in an interview with the Tass news agency on Friday that several terror groups in western Siberia had stockpiled weapons for the attack. Twenty people have been detained and 17 homes were searched as part of the investigation, he said.

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The announcement came as Russia is gearing up to host the World Cup next month.

Russia’s top intelligence agency last month reported the arrests of men suspected to have links to the Islamic State group in Siberia and the Moscow region. The FSB agency said four members of the suspected IS “sleeper cell” were detained in the Moscow region after they traveled from Novy Urengoi, an oil town in western Siberia. The FSB said they plotted attacks in Moscow and were receiving orders from IS members in Syria via a messaging app.

Oil and gas-rich western Siberia has for decades attracted workers from all over Russia, including the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus.

Russia has been providing air cover for Syrian President Bashar Assad since 2015, while thousands of its own citizens went off to Syria to join IS in fighting against Assad’s government. </s> April 10 (UPI) -- Russia's Federal Security Service said it has prevented six terror attacks this year, including targets at election stations and in a shopping mall.

Alexander Bortnikov, chairman of the National Antiterrorism Committee and FSB director, said at a meeting Monday that the terrorism-related crimes were to be committed in the first quarter in the regions of Dagestan, Khabarovsk and Sakhalin.

Some of the attacks were foiled at election stations in the Ingushetia and Bashkortostan regions during the Russian presidential election and in a shopping mall in Saratov, Bortnikov said.

Russia's security service has exposed 12 terrorist cells since the beginning of this year -- arresting 189 gang members and killing 15 involved in the crimes.

"In February, two criminals from the Islamic State international terror organization that is outlawed in Russia, who had been plotting a terror attack at an election station during the presidential election, offered armed resistance and were eliminated in the Nazran district in the Ingushetia region during a counterterror operation," Bortnikov said.

The security chief added that two members of a far-right group, who had also been preparing a terror attack at Ufa's election stations, were arrested in the Bashkortostan region in March. Two home-made explosives were also confiscated.

"Members of an IS cell who planned to commit a terror attack in a shopping mall in Saratov were eliminated the same month in the Saratov region after offering resistance," Bortnikov said. "Weapons and improvised bombs with the explosive power were found." </s> The FSB reported last year that it had thwarted a total of 18 terrorist acts in 2017, including on New Year’s Eve and on the first day of the school year.

Russian security forces have prevented six terrorist attacks this year, including two planned on election day in March, the head of the Federal Security Services (FSB) said Tuesday.

New Year’s Terror Plot Foiled in Moscow, Russia’s FSB Says

“Six terrorist acts were prevented at the preparatory stage [in January-March],” the state-run TASS news agency cited FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov as saying Tuesday.

Speaking at the National Anti-Terrorism Committee session in Moscow, Bortnikov said two Islamic State attacks had been prevented in Russia’s Muslim-majority republic of Ingushetia and the southwestern region of Saratov in March.

In Russia’s republic of Bashkortostan, Bortnikov said two members of a “right-wing radical group” were detained plotting an election-day attack, while terrorists suspected of plotting an attack at a shopping mall were killed in Saratov.

The total body count of militants and their accomplices killed so far this year stood at 15, with 189 suspects detained and 12 terror cells disbanded.

Russia’s Dagestan, Khabarovsk and Sakhalin were targeted in three terrorist attacks, Bortnikov said. </s> According to Bortnikov, some terror attacks were foiled at election stations in the Ingushetia and Bashkortostan Regions during the Russian presidential election and in a shopping mall in Saratov. "In February, two criminals from the Islamic State international terror organization that is outlawed in Russia, who had been plotting a terror attack at an election station during the presidential election, offered armed resistance and were eliminated in the Nazran district in the Ingushetia Region during a counter-terror operation," Bortnikov specified.

"Three terrorism-related crimes were committed in the first quarter of 2018: in the Dagestan, Khabarovsk and Sakhalin Regions. Six terrorist plots have been thwarted," he said at a NAC meeting.

MOSCOW, April 10. /TASS/. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has foiled six terror plots, including at election stations and in a shopping mall, said Alexander Bortnikov, chairman of the National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) and FSB director.

Two members of a far right group, who had also been preparing a terror attack at Ufa’s election stations, were detained in the Bashkortostan Region in March. Two home-made powerful explosives were confiscated.

"Members of an IS cell who planned to commit a terror attack in a shopping mall in Saratov were eliminated the same month in the Saratov Region after offering resistance. Weapons and improvised bombs with the explosive power of about 3 kg of TNT were found," Bortnikov noted.

Bortnikov also said that FSB has exposed 12 terrorist cells since the beginning of the year.

"As many as 12 clandestine terrorist cells have been exposed. Since the beginning of the year, a total of 189 gang members and their accomplices have been apprehended, while 15 have been killed," said Bortnikov.

The FSB chief added that the analysis of information concerning the fight against terrorism proved that leaders of international terrorist organizations still sought to inspire terrorist activities across Russia.

"As a result of our efforts, the downward trend in the number of terrorism-related crimes in Russia has been maintained," Bortnikov stressed. </s> BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — An Argentine federal judge investigating the 1994 Buenos Aires AMIA Jewish center bombing has asked Russian officials to arrest a high-level Iranian adviser to the country’s supreme leader in connection with the attack.

Ali Akbar Velayati was scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in Moscow. Velayati, who was Iran’s foreign minister at the time of the terrorist attack and has been implicated in ordering the bombing, is now an adviser on international affairs to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Velayati is among special envoys that Iran is sending to various countries in response to the US withdrawal earlier this year from the 2015 nuclear deal.

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“After Mr. Trump’s strategic mistake in unilaterally withdrawing, the Islamic Republic of Iran decided to send special envoys to different countries conveying the message of high officials of Iran containing our stances, positions, and approaches towards this arrogant and illegal move of the US,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said in describing the Wednesday visit of Velayati to Moscow.

Following news reports of the visit, Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral requested the arrest of Velayati. There has been an international arrest warrant against Velayati and seven other Iranian officials since 2006. The AMIA bombing killed 85 and injured hundreds.

Iran also is believed to be behind the 1992 car bombing that destroyed the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 and injuring 242.

In 2016, ahead of another Velayati trip, Argentina made requests for his arrest to Singapore and Malaysia but was not successful.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday when he discussed Israel’s demands for a withdrawal of Iranian forces from Syria, where they are helping the regime battle rebels in a civil war.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report. </s> 12 terrorist plots were foiled ahead of the World Cup

This week Isis warned that Vladimir Putin “will pay the price for killing Muslims” in a chilling propaganda poster.

The 15 were slain in several operations hen they resisted arrest.

“The activities of 12 secret terrorist cells were halted,” he added.

Half a dozen specific terror plots were thwarted, said Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the FSB security service.

World Cup TERROR WARNING: Russia told 'YOU WILL PAY' in chilling th...

US warns it can’t protect England fans from World Cup TERROR attack

The FSB has identified terrorism as the biggest threat to the World Cup in June and July.

But he also revealed a massive increase in security on the bridge, now under construction, connecting the Russian mainland to the Crimea peninsula, annexed from Ukraine by Putin using military force in 2014.

"Law enforcement agencies have organised monitoring of the situation in the Kerch Strait and the skies above,” he said.

“Their forces and hardware stand ready for coordinated action in case there is a terrorist threat to the unfinished facilities.” </s> BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — An Argentine federal judge investigating the 1994 Buenos Aires AMIA Jewish center bombing has asked Russian officials to arrest a high-level Iranian adviser to the country’s supreme leader in connection with the attack.

Alí Akbar Velayati was scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in Moscow. Velayati, who was Iran’s foreign minister at the time of the terrorist attack and has been implicated in ordering the bombing, is now an adviser on international affairs to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Velayati is among special envoys that Iran is sending to various countries in response to the U.S. withdrawal earlier this year from the 2015 nuclear deal.

“After Mr. Trump’s strategic mistake in unilaterally withdrawing, the Islamic Republic of Iran decided to send special envoys to different countries conveying the message of high officials of Iran containing our stances, positions, and approaches towards this arrogant and illegal move of the U.S.,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said in describing the Wednesday visit of Velayati to Moscow.

Following news reports of the visit, Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral requested the arrest of Velayati. There has been an international arrest warrant against Velayati and seven other Iranian officials since 2006. The AMIA bombing killed 85 and injured hundreds.

Iran also is believed to be behind the 1992 car bombing that destroyed the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 and injuring 242.

In 2016, ahead of another Velayati trip, Argentina made requests for his arrest to Singapore and Malaysia but was not successful.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also was expected to meet with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday. </s> Russian special services prevented six terrorist attacks in the first three months of 2018, FSB Director Aleksandr Bortnikov said at Tuesday's session of Russia's National Counter-Terrorism Committee.said the director of the Federal Security Service and the chair of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee.Bortnikov noted that at least three of the thwarted attacks - in Ingushetia, Bashkiria and Saratov Region -In February, Russian security agents detained two members of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, formerly ISIS) who intended to stage an attack at a polling station in Ingushetia. In March, they detained two members of a radical group and seized explosives that terrorists wanted to plant at a polling station in Bashkiria. Also in March, several members of IS who planned an attack on a local shopping mall were killed in Saratov Region.The FSB director emphasized that international terrorists have not ceased their attempts to transfer their activities onto Russian territory. </s> Russian counter-terrorism police say they prevented an imminent Islamic State attack in the Siberian city of Tyumen, as two armed terror suspects were eliminated in an intense raid with heavy gunfire and explosions.

The militants, who were holed up in a private home, refused to lay down their arms and opened fire at the law enforcement on Friday. “They were neutralized during a gunfight,” the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) said.

There were no casualties among civilians and security personnel as a result of the exchange of fire.

The terrorists were planning an attack in the public place in the city and the decision to launch an operation was made swiftly, the NAC said.

Numerous unconfirmed videos on social media appeared to show the nighttime operation in full swing, with heavy gunfire, a building on fire, and a score of police cars and military vehicles amassed in the streets.

Тюмень.

Прямо сейчас люди, похожие на полицию и ФСБ, штурмуют дом, в котором предположительно засели люди, имеющие отношение к запрещённой на РФ организации ИГИЛ. pic.twitter.com/IS0BAm5EeF — Nina Borovik (@BorovikNina) April 12, 2019

DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Russian authorities say that they foiled a plot by Siberian terrorists to attack a Victory Day march attended by President Vladimir Putin and visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Twenty suspects are detained.