Suspects in attempted Moscow attack may have IS links: Russian media

The suspected organizers of an attempted terror attack in Moscow may be of Syrian origin, and law enforcement agencies are now investigating their links to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, Russian media reported Monday.

Russia's National Anti-terrorist Committee foiled a terror attack in Moscow's central administrative district and detained a group of suspects, the organization said Sunday. A homemade explosive device was found and rendered harmless.

According to preliminary estimates, the bomb's explosive yield might exceed 4 kg of TNT, the TASS news agency reported.

The planned attack came nearly two weeks after Russia launched its air campaign in Syria. Russia said the airstrikes have significantly diminished the military capacity of the IS.

Ten suspects have been detained, and at least three of them are of Syrian descent, the Interfax news agency reported, quoting unnamed sources familiar with the situation.

TASS also quoted an unnamed source in law enforcement agencies as saying that links of the detainees to the IS are being investigated.

"Several detainees are followers and supporters of the IS, and they may have participated in hostilities in Syria on the IS side," the source said.

The Interfax sources said the composition of the device resembled the one used in the terrorist attack in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Saturday, which has claimed the lives of at least 97 people and wounded almost 250 others. Interfax said it had no official confirmation of the saying. Enditem