ST. PETERSBURG, December 14 (RAPSI) – A Kyrgyzstan native Obid Abdyraimov has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for recruiting his compatriots into the Islamic State terrorist organization prohibited in Russia, including alleged perpetrators of the St. Petersburg metro terror attack, the Moscow District Military Court’s press-service has told RAPSI.

Abdyraimov’s case was heard under special procedure because he admitted guilt in full.

According to case documents, from July 2015 till April 2017, Abdyraimov talked to visitors of a mosque in St. Petersburg, inducing them to participate in the combat on territory of Syria as well as terrorist attacks organized by the Islamic State. Investigators believe that Abdyraimov acted as part of an organized criminal group and managed to recruit several people. One of the alleged recruits was Makhamadyusuf Mirzaalimov, who is believed to be involved in the St. Petersburg metro terror attack in April.

On April 3, at around 2:40 PM Moscow time, an unknown device exploded in a train between St. Petersburg metro stations Technological Institute and Sennaya Ploshchad leaving 16 people dead in the blast and over 50 wounded. Investigators believe that the explosion was triggered by suicide bomber Akbarzhon Dzhalilov.

Investigators found an explosive device in Mirzaalimov’s apartment. During proceedings over measure of restraint against him, the defendant himself claimed that he did not know Dzhalilov or where the explosive came from.