Young man from Chechnya sentenced to 5 years for trying to go to war in Syria

On August 7, Arbi Dikaev was sentenced by the Grozny District Court of Chechnya, a source from the Prosecutor's Office of Chechnya told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. The young man was accused of preparing to participate in an armed formation in the territory of Syria.

The convict is a native of the village of Komsomolskoe, Grozny District. He was detained in January by border guards of the Russian FSB at the airport of the city of Mineralnye Vody, a source from the Chechen MIA told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Dikaev intended to fly to Turkey for further crossing to Syria and joining Islamic militants. The intention was interrupted by border guards," said the MIS source.

Dikaev's relatives treat the sentence as too severe; however, they confirm the prosecutor's version as such.

"Yes, he wanted to go to Syria; but he was detained in the Stavropol Territory, not even in Turkey or in Syria. What has he been given five years in colony for? Even those who really were at war in Syria receive smaller terms," one of the relatives told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Another relative told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Arbi had made his decision under the influence of militants' propaganda.

"There are dozens if not hundreds like him," he said. I understand a conditional sentence for him, but five years in colony is too much."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.