Uzbek court sentences Namangan man to 15 years for terrorism financing and recruitment

September 7, 2026 at 11:42 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

A court in Uzbekistan sentenced a resident of Namangan region's Pap district to 15 years and 2 months in prison for participating in an international terrorist organization, financing militants, and organizing an illegal channel to send compatriots to Syria. The investigation found that among those he transported to the combat zone were Uzbek citizens, including women with children under three years old.

Key Facts

The man was sentenced to 15 years and 2 months in prison by an Uzbek court.
He joined the international terrorist organization Jamaat Ansorulloh in North Waziristan, Pakistan, in September 2010 under the alias 'Sodiq'.
From May to October 2025, he and accomplices organized a channel to illegally transport recruits from Turkey to Syria, receiving $500 to $1,000 per person.
He was detained by Turkish law enforcement on October 11, 2025, while attempting to transport another group of recruits.

Terrorist Activities

The man began engaging with extremist ideas while working in Russia, where he had moved for work in 2004. In 2009, he and an accomplice opened a 'Halal' eatery near the Vykhino metro station in Moscow, where underground religious gatherings were held. At these gatherings, he watched lectures by Tahir Yuldashev, leader of the Islamic Movement of Turkestan, and recruitment videos calling for 'jihad'. In September 2010, he traveled to Iran and then to Pakistan, where he joined Jamaat Ansorulloh in North Waziristan and underwent military and mine-explosive training. In September 2012, he moved to Syria's Idlib province via Turkey, joining Jabhat al-Nusra and later Katiba Tawhid wal-Jihad as a supplier from 2013.

Financing and Recruitment

In late 2020, he opened a bakery in Idlib and regularly transferred 60% of its income, ranging from $250 to $350 per week, to finance militant activities. After moving to Istanbul, Turkey, with his family in September 2021, he maintained ties with Katiba Tawhid wal-Jihad and Katiba Ghuraba. From May to October 2025, he and accomplices organized a permanent channel for illegally transporting recruits from Turkey to Syria, charging $500 to $1,000 per person. Among those transported were dozens of Uzbek citizens, including women with young children, some under three years old. He was detained on October 11, 2025, while attempting to transport another group of recruits.

Additional Crimes

Using a cargo transportation business as cover, he supplied militants in Syria with various goods, equipment, and spare parts. Under the alias 'Abu Asiya' on Telegram and WhatsApp, he illegally collected, stored, and transferred copies of passports, biometric documents, and ID cards of citizens from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.