Moscow requests info from Cyprus over ‘potential role’ in terror attacks

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office on Wednesday said it had requested information from the US, Germany, France and Cyprus over their potential involvement in terrorist attacks on Russia.

According to Tass news agency, the request came after members of the State Duma (lower house of parliament) called for an investigation into whether foreign-based individuals and entities may have been implicated in organising and financing “a number of terrorist attacks inside Russia, as well as the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions”.

“After studying the related files, we sent requests on the matter to the relevant agencies in the US, Germany, France and Cyprus,” the prosecutor’s office was quoted as saying in Tass.

Russia’s top prosecution body expressed hope that “our colleagues in these countries will earnestly consider the requests and fulfill their obligations under the 1999 International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the 1997 International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, which involve investigating the information provided, facilitating efforts to obtain evidence necessary for probes, and ensuring that punishments be duly carried out.”

Tass reported that Russian lawmakers presented “direct evidence against the masterminds, organisers and perpetrators of these crimes and those who have covered them up and financed them.”

The State Duma members believe that the US and its allies have been carrying out “terrorist attacks inside Russia via the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) and Ukrainian intelligence agencies”, Tass said.