Six Russian nationals from the Chechen Republic were arrested in Southern France and charged with terrorist activity, Le Figaro reports.
An investigation revealed that the Chechens were involved with terrorist groups in Syria. In particular, they helped to send new recruits to join the jihadists in Syria, as well as provided them with financial and logistical support.
The six men are between the ages of 32 and 38, and were arrested during an anti-terrorist operation near Toulouse. French media reports that one of the six detainees is a French citizen, another one is a dual French and Russian citizen, while the rest have the status of political refugees.
Last month, another group of Russian nationals from Chechnya were arrested in France on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack. However, following the police investigation, the five men were not charged with terrorism, but instead received charges of banditry, as they were involved in a conflict with another Chechen gang.
France has been on high alert since the beginning of 2015, when a series of terrorist attacks in Paris claimed the lives of 17 people, including three policemen.
