The Russian Security Service (FSB) announced today that it destroyed a cell of the Islamic State extremist group that was preparing attacks in St. Petersburg on December 16.
The group allegedly planned a suicide attack and planted bombs in busy places, according to the statement.
Seven suspects were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday, "a large amount of explosives", automatic weapons and ammunition as well as "books with extremist content" were found, according to the statement.
In April, 14 people died in an attack in the subway in Saint Petersburg.
On Tuesday, the head of the secret services, Aleksandar Bortnikov, expressed his fear that extremists will come to Russia from Syria, where the Islamic State was defeated thanks to Russia's military action.
On Tuesday, the FSB announced the arrest of three suspected Islamic State members from Central Asia, accused of planning suicide attacks in Moscow on New Year's Eve and during the Russian presidential election campaign.
According to the FSB, almost 2.900 Muslim extremists, mostly from unstable Caucasian republics, fought in Iraq and Syria, and were joined by thousands of fighters from other Asian countries.
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