Azerbaijan's State Security Service (SSS) announced on Friday that it had prevented a series of planned terrorist and sabotage operations, as well as intelligence-gathering activities, orchestrated by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Axar.az reports that the information was released by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan (SSS).
According to the report, the planned attacks targeted strategic sites including the Baku–Ceyhan oil pipeline, Israel’s embassy in Azerbaijan, leaders of the Mountain Jews Religious Community, and the Ashkenazi Synagogue, with the aim of creating panic among the population and harming Azerbaijan’s international reputation. Three explosive devices were smuggled into the country, but they were neutralized before being handed over to third parties.
Operational search measures were carried out to identify the strategic sites and targets of interest to the intelligence agencies in our country, as well as the individuals cooperating with them.
It was revealed that Iranian citizens Rustamzada Behnam Sahibali and Zandkian Yaser Rahim, acting in coordination, established a criminal connection with Azerbaijani citizen Guliyev Tarkhan Tarlan oghlu to smuggle an explosive device into Azerbaijan. A container, placed on the orders of Iranian citizen Zandkian Yaser Rahim, was discovered near the Hamam Bath health complex at 14 Salyan Highway in the Shikhov neighborhood, Sabail district. Upon inspection, the container was found to contain 7.73 kg of C-4 explosives intended to destroy underground structures, such as pipes and concrete constructions, at a depth of 6 meters.Operational footage from the State Security Service of Azerbaijan (SSS) showed Tarkhan Guliyev arriving with Ağayev Nicat Zaman oghlu in a vehicle to retrieve the container from its location. In the following days, they hid the explosive device in Baku’s Nasimi district.
In addition, authorities have identified the network of individuals in Azerbaijan who were in contact with IRGC, which organized the planning of terrorist acts and assassination plots in the country. It was reported that Iranian citizen Sheikhzadeh Sajjad Moghadam Sati Sofi Evad was searching for a person to place an explosive device under a bridge in the Sangachal settlement, Qaradag district, Baku, offering $50,000 for the task. At the same time, Sheikhzadeh reportedly received special instructions from IRGC to prepare assassination plans targeting Jewish residents living in Azerbaijan.
According to the report, the locations of the previous three explosive devices planted by IRGC had not been identified because the trusted individuals involved had cut off contact with the operatives. As a result, under the initiative of Iranian citizen Hafez Tavassoli, the next explosive device was successfully smuggled into the country. A 1.28 kg explosive device was discovered near the Shipbuilding Plant in Qaradag district, Baku. The device had a lethal blast radius of 250–300 meters. Tavassoli, identified as a IRGC coordinating agent, contacted Aghayeva Khadija Zakir gizi and instructed her to hold the container for two days. The Azerbaijani citizen who collected the package later hid it in a secret location in the Masazir settlement.
It was reported that after Khadija Aghayeva observed two individuals on a motorcycle approach and retrieve the package, she informed Hafez Tavassoli of the incident. After placing the explosives at a prearranged location in the Masazır settlement, the device was later collected by Ahmadov Elvin Bahruz oghlu under the orders of Sajjad Sheikhzadeh Moghaddam Sati Sofi Evad and hidden near his residence in the Bilajari settlement.
At the same time, Iranian citizen Hafez Tavassoli contacted Azerbaijani citizen Shabanova Narminə Ramiz gizi to carry out an assassination attempt on a public figure. She was instructed to go to the public figure’s workplace and take photographs of both the location and the individual. In addition, Shabanova received instructions from IRGC regarding an foreign operative sent from a third country to Azerbaijan to carry out the killing, including coordinating the operative’s reception, accommodation in a hotel, and locating weapons and a vehicle for the crime. At this stage, Naib Ismiyev Aghaismi oghlu informed Shabanova that he could assassinate the public figure in exchange for 80,000 Azerbaijani manat. In connection with this plan, Ismiyev visited the target’s workplace, recorded video footage with his mobile phone to plan the execution and escape, and sent the footage to Shabanova, a member of the criminal group. Additionally, they arranged and negotiated the acquisition of firearms and other tools and equipment in preparation for the assassination attempt.
As a result of the preventive and urgent operational-search measures conducted by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan (SSS), these particularly serious crimes were prevented.
Specifically, Guliyev Tarxan Tarlan oghlu, Aghayev Nicat Zaman oghlu, Abdullayev Asad Tofig oghlu, Rustamov Rəshad Fərhad oghlu, Aghayeva Khadija Zakir gizi, Ahmadov Elvin Bahruz oghlu, Shabanova Narmina Ramiz gizi, and Ismiyev Naib Aghaismi oghlu have confessed to their actions, including collecting explosive devices under the orders of IRGC-affiliated individuals and carrying out tasks related to assassination plots.
During this period, the person directly responsible for organizing terrorist acts against Azerbaijan was identified as Ali Asghar Bordbar Sherami, a colonel in IRGC's Intelligence Organization.
An international warrant has been issued for the following Iranian citizens, confirmed to have participated in organizing terrorist and sabotage activities aimed at destabilizing the country and creating panic among the population: Zandkian Yaser Rahim, Rustamzada Behnam Sahibali, Azarundbileh Hosein Savar Saber, and Sheikhzadeh Sajjad Moghadam Sati Sofi Evad.
As a result of the conducted investigative and operational measures, decisions have also been made regarding Azerbaijani citizens found to have participated in these criminal acts. Azerbaijani citizens Tarhan Tarlan oghlu Guliyev, Nijat Zaman oghlu Aghayev, Asad Tofig oghlu Abdullayev, and Rashad Farhad oghlu Rustamov were found guilty under the relevant articles and sentenced to 6 years and 6 months of imprisonment.
Shabanova Narminə Ramiz gizi and Ismiyev Naib Aghaismi oghlu were charged under Articles 28 and 277 of the Criminal Code (preparation for the assassination of a state or public official), while Ahmadov Elvin Bəhruz oghlu was charged under Article 228.2.1 (illegal acquisition, transfer, possession, transport, and carrying of weapons, ammunition, explosives, or explosive devices by a prearranged group). The court has ordered their pretrial detention. The materials collected by the Investigation Department of the State Security Service have been submitted to the court.
The SSS reported that operational and investigative measures to identify terrorist and sabotage plans by foreign intelligence services on the territory of Azerbaijan are ongoing.
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