The sleeping terrorist cells’ threat is underestimated in Central Asia, expert believes

Astana. July 19. Silkroadnews – The sleeping terrorist cells’ threat is underestimated in Central Asia, Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan Yerlan Karin said.

“The recent tragic events that took place in Almaty yesterday are, of course, a serious lesson for both the society and the state. It’s a reason to unite our efforts in solving these issues”, KazTAG quotes Y. Karin saying on Tuesday.

“While focusing on possible terrorist attacks from the outside in the region of Central Asia, it seems, we underestimated the threat posed from within the so-called sleeping radical cells”, the expert added.

In his view, both state and society should set their intentions for a long struggle against terrorism.

To remind, the firefight was registered in Almaty on Monday. According to the Interior Ministry, six police officers and three civilians, including the perpetrator, got injured. As a result of the attacks five people were killed – a civilian, a border guard and three policemen.

The attacker, 27, a native of Kyzylorda region (southern Kazakhstan), has been detained. Previously convicted he is also suspected of commission of murder of the woman on the recent weekend.

The Interior Ministry said the attacker’s motive of crime was the revenge to the law enforcement agencies.

Kazakhstan’s president Nursultan Nazarbayev has called the events in Almaty as a terrorist attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.