Russian investigative authorities announced that more than 40 Russian citizens connected with the Japanese sect Aum Shinrikyo, who were recently expelled from Montenegro, are being checked.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior of Russia, Irina Volk, said that the Ministry together with the Federal Security Service (FSB) determined the whereabouts of members of the sect, which is responsible for the terrorist attacks with deadly gas in Japan in 1995, in which more than 20 were killed and around a thousand persons.
"The MUP and the FSB searched the residences of Aum Shinrikyo leaders and members, as well as places where rituals were held," she said.
According to her, 44 people who were recently expelled by Montenegro on suspicion of being connected to the work of that sect are being checked.
The Main Investigative Committee of Russia filed a criminal indictment for the creation of an organization whose work is linked to violence against citizens, and which has been banned in Russia since April 18, 1995.
"The investigation believes that unidentified persons created the Aum Shinrikyo organization on the territory of Moscow and St. Petersburg no later than 2011 as a religious group associated with violence against citizens and other harm to health," said Vladimir Markin, spokesman for the Investigative Committee.
He said that from 2012 to 2014, the sect existed thanks to the collection of voluntary contributions via the Internet.
He said that searches are now being conducted in Moscow and St. Petersburg, in order to determine the members of the sect, as well as that literature and items for rituals, electronic carriers of information, as well as other items important for the investigation of the crime have been found and confiscated.
On March 25, members of the Special Police Unit took 58 foreign nationals out of the Danilovgrad Hotel Perjanik, interrogated them as citizens, and then released them.
According to unofficial information, they are allegedly members of the Aum Shinrikyo sect, which is responsible for the terrorist gas attack in Japan in 1995.
A few days later, the police announced that most of the foreigners did not have a residence permit, which is why they had to leave Montenegro.
Then, the Special Prosecutor's Office announced that they formed the case - due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that the criminal offense of recruitment and training for the commission of terrorist acts had been committed.
Several interrogated Russians who spoke to the "Vijesti" journalist earlier said that they had no connection with terrorism and that they were in Montenegro for tourism.
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