Supporters of terrorist organizations were arrested in the Kokand video)

A group of supporters of the international terrorist organization "Secretary of Monotheism and Jihad," operating in the city of Kokand in the Ferghana region, has been exposed, according to the State Security Service.

The group consisted of 11 Kokand residents, aged between 23 and 43, who held various occupations, including chief mechanics, private entrepreneurs, cooks, craftsmen, and carpenters.

Between 2021 and 2023, the group organized gatherings under the guise of "Saturday Plov" (Shanbalik oshlar) in teahouses across Kokand. At these gatherings, they listened to fanatical lectures by figures like Abdullah Zufar, Sadiq Samarkandiy, and Yakhyo Turkistani, who promoted jihad, martyrdom, and religious extremism, calling for the establishment of an Islamic state. These ideas fueled their commitment to extremist beliefs.

The group discussed changing Uzbekistan’s state system, contrary to the Constitution, and some members even traveled to Syria to support the cause of a "Caliphate." In July and August 2023, two members conspired to send $3,000 to a man named Jasur from Kokand, who is actively involved in the organization’s activities in Syria. The group also worked to recruit others into their ranks, holding meetings to spread extremist ideologies, coordinating through a Telegram group to schedule gatherings, and reporting their monthly activities to their leader every 15 days.

According to the verdict from the Kokand City Criminal Court, members of this group were found guilty of several charges, including terrorist financing (Article 155-3), encroachment on the constitutional system of Uzbekistan (Article 159), possession of materials threatening public safety and order (Article 244-1), and involvement in prohibited extremist organizations (Article 244-2). Sentences ranged from 6 to 12 years in prison.

In a related case, Russian authorities recently arrested an individual who was recruiting Uzbeks for a terrorist organization, charged under Article 205-1, Part 1.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (Supporting terrorist activities).