The notebooks, seized during a special operation in Dagestan conducted by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on New Year’s Eve, show the rebels had received hefty donations from foreign sponsors, Russian national television said, airing footage from the press department of the Dagestan branch of FSB.
“Tens of millions of rubles came from the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan,” Russia’s NTV channel said, while Rossia television channel added that supporters from Saudi Arabia were also among the foreign sponsors.
“The sums are huge. There was never any doubt anyway that militants in the North Caucasus have been generously bankrolled. But that generously…” Rossia channel also said.
The notebooks belonged to the leader of the Dagestan rebels, Umalat Magomedov, also known by his nom de guerre Al-Bara, television reports said, adding that he was one of four rebels killed during the Dec. 31 operation in the town of Khasavyurt.
Authorities also seized machine guns, grenade launchers and 45 cell phones containing rebels’ phone numbers. Authorities have long said that Islamist rebels receive financing from abroad.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in August acknowledged “foreign” elements as a factor fomenting instability in the region, but stressed the root cause of the problem was within Russia itself, referring to corruption among law enforcement personnel.
