Second report about prevented terrorist attack in Dagestan raises doubts among analysts
The law enforcement bodies have provided little data on the prevented terrorist attacks in Derbent and Khasavyurt to claim that their version is justified. Cases of falsification of criminal cases and the interest of the law enforcement bodies in the crime detection rate cast doubt on their claims, analysts claim.
The second report within several days about a prevented terrorist attack is connected not only with the upcoming Victory Day, Dagestani journalist Milrad Fatullaev believes.
“I don’t think that law enforcers have become more active now. It seems to me that they have been working in this direction for a long time already. And especially since the start of the special military operation (SMO). And the people who are being used to commit terrorist attacks become more active during such mass and significant holidays,” Milrad Fatullaev noted. At the same time, the Dagestani journalist does not rule out “that a so-called operational provocation could be carried out.”
Every time you see such reports from the law enforcement bodies, you get your doubts arising, suggests a Dagestani journalist who wished to remain anonymous. “In the history of Dagestan, there are many cases when people were imprisoned or accused of committing a crime in order to increase crime detection rate. Unfortunately, such cases have occurred in the Russian practice,” the journalist told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
The Dagestani journalist does not believe that the effectiveness of the law enforcement bodies’ activities has fallen since the start of the special military operation (SMO). “There is a version being discussed that it was in Khasavyurt where this issue with the young woman has been raised because it is a serious argument for the law enforcement bodies to demonstrate what our fight against niqabs has led to: here is the young woman who was preparing a terrorist attack. This possibility also cannot be excluded,” the journalist stated.
The checks of IDs in Khasavyurt were connected with the search for suspects in the crime, and the young women in niqabs, the video of whose detention was distributed on social networking services, did not have IDs with them, the Ministry of Nationalities of Dagestan explained. Officials denied the involvement of the Muftiate of Dagestan in the actions of the law enforcement bodies.
Magomed Shamilov, the chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Internal Affairs and Prosecutor’s Office Employees, does not believe the reports about prevented terrorist attacks in Dagestan. “If they want to be believed, they should provide the public with ironclad evidence. Press releases do not inspire confidence,” Magomed Shamilov emphasized.
Retired Interior Ministry Colonel Amir Kolov also believes that there is a certain distrust of the law enforcement bodies’ reports. “Very often, businessmen and honest officials who have become objectionable to certain groups of influence in government bodies are accused or suspected of involvement in terrorism,” Amir Kolov told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
“Scale of falsifications of criminal cases makes one doubt the law enforcement bodies’ reports”
As for the fabrication of cases, Dagestani journalist Milrad Fatullaev believes they can be identified during the trial “based on statements by lawyers or human rights defenders.” “We cannot draw conclusions based on operational reports from the law enforcement bodies,” Milrad Fatullaev said.
A colleague of the Dagestani journalist, who spoke anonymously, believes that journalistic investigations should be conducted to verify the veracity of the accusations.
“Real terrorists exist, a real terrorist threat still exists, and some kind of recruitment activities are going on".
“Real terrorists exist, a real terrorist threat still exists, and some kind of recruitment activities are going on. You need to delve into the materials of a criminal case, compare the facts, and based on the above, understand what actually happened,” the journalist noted.
Often, law enforcers become active only to show their vigorous activity, the journalist note. “Statistics are very important to them, for the sake of it, various cases are often falsified, including under terrorist articles,” the journalist explained. Magomed Shamilov does not rule out that the poor statistics are due to the fact that many law enforcers have gone to the special military operation (SMO). “Because of this shortage, people are hired who do not understand anything about the work. This is where the number of solved criminal cases decreases, and there is a need to show good statistics. And no one gets mercy in this way,” Magomed Shamilov emphasized.
Any fictitious accusation can become the basis for a sentence
Any fictitious accusation can become the basis for a sentence, Amir Kolov notes. The retired Interior Ministry Colonel believes the judiciary in most cases “protects the system” and passes guilty verdicts on obviously falsified criminal cases.
Amir Kolov has also added that with certain information, it is possible to understand whether a criminal case is fabricated or not. The retired Interior Ministry Colonel notes that it is necessary to consider the intent of the criminal, the environment in which the person was raised, to study the object and instrument of the crime, as well as the circumstances and the person who solved or prevented this terrorist attack. “Based on the verification of the specified and other related information, it is possible to establish whether a terrorist attack was actually being prepared or the criminal case was fabricated,” Amir Kolov believes.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 2, 2025 at 10:22 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: СK correspondent