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The criminal group arrested during an operation conducted by Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) in Yerevan on November 25 is an unprecedented one in the history of Armenia by the number of its weapons, the organizational  level, and the danger of crimes the group was going to commit, NSS Deputy Director Mikael Hambartsumyan said at a press conference today.

In his words, an investigation is underway to establish the sources and channels of the group’s financing.
Hambartsumyan spoke about the group leader as well. The press service of NSS reported earlier that National Security Service of Armenia received information that Armenian citizen Arthur Vardanyan, 34, who was residing in Spain after 1997 and temporarily lived in Yerevan since April 2015, set up and led this year  a criminal group with the aim of committing grave and particularly grave crimes in Armenia. He recruited citizens – mostly unemployed - from various regions of Armenia, including 4 women.

According to Hambartsumyan, Arthur Vardanyan did his best to ensure the group’s secrecy. NSS has learned that he visited Syria.

When asked if Arthur Vardanyan was linked with the Islamic State, the NSS official replied: “We will establish through the relevant channels what he did abroad, what connections he had, and whether the organizations known to us are related to this incident”.

He added that 21 people have been detained so far. They have been charged based on ‘enough evidence’, and applications for selection of measures of restraint against them will be soon sent to court.    
As was reported, a criminal group that intended to commit grave crimes in Armenia was arrested by NSS on November 25. The Investigative Department of NNS opened a criminal case under the Criminal Code’s Article 223 parts 1 and 2 (creation or leadership of a criminal society) and Article 235 part 3 (illegal purchase, sale, possession and carrying of firearms, ammunition, explosive substances, or explosive devices by an organized group). An investigation is underway.