Chef from Andijan imprisoned for supporting terrorists in Syria

A resident of the Andijan region, who was found guilty of sending money to terrorist organizations operating in Syria, has been sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison, according to UzA.

The convicted individual, identified as Z.M., worked as a chef in a diet food kitchen in Andijan. It was reported that he created profiles on Instagram, Telegram, and WhatsApp, where he accessed and viewed materials from religious extremist groups promoting "migration" and "jihad."

In May 2023, Z.M. established communication with three Andijan residents who had joined the terrorist organizations “Secretary of Monotheism and Jihad” and “Secretary of the Desert” in Syria. Influenced by these interactions, he planned to travel to Syria but was unable to do so due to family-related issues.

From August to December 2023, Z.M. reportedly facilitated the transfer of funds to the terrorist groups. He sent USD 7,150 and 41.23 million soums on behalf of the family members and acquaintances of the Andijan residents in Syria. These funds were transferred using cryptocurrency services via mobile applications.

Furthermore, on December 19, 2023, Z.M. facilitated the transfer of a woman from Tashkent, who was the common-law spouse of one of the Andijan citizens in Syria, to Kyrgyzstan. He accompanied her through the "Dostlik" border crossing and escorted her to Osh airport, where she was to fly to Syria via Turkey.

Law enforcement agencies intercepted Z.M.’s illegal activities during rapid search operations, which led to his arrest. The court subsequently sentenced him to 10 years and 6 months in prison.

It was also reported that one of the three Andijan residents who had joined the terrorist groups in Syria died during armed clashes.

In a related case, a criminal case was initiated, and a wanted notice was issued for Khudoyor Bakhtiyor ugli Nuriddinov, also known as “Abu Walid”, who had been posting videos from Syria's battlefields on his social media pages.