Russian national accused of financing terrorists faces charges in U.S.
Photo: A Russian national tried to help finance a foreign terrorist organization (GettyImages)
A Russian national from California attempted to assist a foreign terrorist organization. He pleaded guilty to the charges, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to court documents, Kurashev attempted to provide financial support to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The Russian national tried to send $13,000 to Turkiye through two couriers associated with this organization.
The U.S. Secretary of State has designated HTS as a foreign terrorist organization involved in terrorism in Syria.
Police investigated Kurashev's social media and correspondence with a fundraiser, revealing that, in his view, sending money to HTS militants was equivalent to participating in jihad. While Kurashev wanted to personally go to Syria and fight, he could only send money. This indicates his support for HTS ideology and a desire to be involved in their activities.
The FBI found that Kurashev monitored the activities of a charity organization online and various social media accounts. Some pages requested funds for purchasing military equipment, footwear, clothing, firearms, and, in one instance, a motorcycle.
Kurashev faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The judge will deliver the sentence on March 18.
Arrests of Russians worldwide
Earlier, we reported that Latvian law enforcement detained a Russian individual who was spying on military facilities, providing information to Russian intelligence agencies.
We also wrote about the conviction of members of a spy network in Poland, involving 14 citizens of Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. They were found guilty of preparing sabotage in favor of Moscow.
The Norwegian police arrested a Russian spy who was working at a local university under a fabricated identity.
