Concerns heighten as U.S. counter-terrorism operatives are now helping Russian security agents in the hunt for the jihadist “white widow” who is the wife of a dead terrorist and could already be inside the massive security zone set up for next month’s winter Olympics.
Along with international experts, U.S. experts have become increasingly concerned about security in the zone, in light of recent attacks and a call from Doku Umarov, the jihadist leader who has been described as Russia’s Bin Laden, for attacks and to stop Russia from hosting the Games. “We have our athletes over there and they are targets so practically all our terrorism and national security agencies are operating over there,” a source said explaining U.S. security and intelligence agency’s involvement in counter-terror operations leading up to and during the Olympic games.
Ruzanna Ibragimova who is a 22-year-old widow of a jihadist killed during the Moscow theater attack is believed to have traveled from Dagestan to Sochi according to a Russian security bulletin obtained by FoxNews.com, along with photos of her. The bulletin and photos were distributed by the Russian security force FSB and Sochi security officials to U.S. and other security agencies late last week. “The notice is the first sign that terrorists may have managed to penetrate the security cordon,” stated the bulletin from U.S. security forces that was obtained by FoxNews.com.
“According to our information Ms Ibragimova may be used by the ringleaders of illegal armed groups for the organization of terrorist acts in the zone of the 2014 Olympics.”, the Russian bulletin read. The bulletin is being distributed to hotels, restaurants and other locations in the Sochi area. Ibragimova is believed to have traveled to Sochi on January 11 or the next day and was spotted recently on the street outside the foreign ministry near Sochi.
“Russia has deployed 40,000 police and security personnel in a “ring of steel” around Sochi to deter attacks by Islamist militants from the nearby North Caucasus republics,” a U.S. bulletin states.
On Sunday, a video was posted online by a group identifying itself as Vilayat Dagestan by two men claiming responsibility for recent suicide bombings that targeted a train station and bus that killed 34 people in Volgograd. In the video, the men warn that other suicide attacks will follow. “We’ll have a surprise package for you,” the men in the video said. “And those tourists that will come to you, for them, too, we have a surprise…This will be our revenge.”