Authorities in Azerbaijan say they have thwarted a series of terror attacks whose targets included the venue of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, a cheesy but popular annual televised singing competition, and that they have arrested 40 suspects.
The alleged plot appears to be the "most extravagant" one revealed in the oil-rich country, located near Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran, according to the Associated Press. In recent months, Azerbaijan has reported to have the target of terrorist activities planned by groups with ties to Al-Qaida and Iran, which is home of an ethnic Azeri community.
Azerbaijan's National Security Ministry said on Wednesday, May 30, that security forces had recently thwarted a series of planned attacks on the venue of the Eurovision Song Contest - Baku Crystal Hall and major hotels housing foreigners. They said they also uncovered plans to assassinate President Ilham Aliyev in April and to attack religious pilgrimage sites and police stations.
They said the forces arrested 40 suspects and seized weapons, including 13 assault rifles, 12 handguns, 3,400 rounds of bullets, 62 hand grenades, three rifles, one machine gun and several pounds of explosives, the Associated Press reported. The dates of the arrests were not provided.
Earlier this year, authorities in Azerbaijan killed a man suspected of being involved in the plans. They also arrested at least two dozen Azerbaijani citizens accused of working for Iranian militant groups and security forces and planning terror attacks against the United States, Israeli embassies and western-linked organizations and companies.
The Eurovision Song Contest has helped launch the careers of the likes of Canadian pop star Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland and won the competition in 1988 with the French track "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi," and the Swedish pop group ABBA, which came in first in 1974 with "Waterloo." Another Swedish artist, pop singer Loreen, won the contest on Sunday, beating competitors from 41 other countries.
She cinched the win with her track "Euphoria," marking Sweden's first victory in the contest since 1999. She beat folk group Buranovskiye Babushki (Grannies from Buranovo) from Russia, who placed second, and Serbia's Zeljko Joksimovic, who came in third.
"This feels unreal. I'm happy. The thing is I'm not a party chick but this evening - night - I'm going to have fun," she said after her win. "I've been working so hard for this and we've been working so hard for this."
Days before the finals, Loreen had angered Azeri authorities by meeting activists who are among scores of people who have accused Azerbaijan's government of human rights violations, including some linked to the construction of Baku Crystal Hall, located on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Last month, many protesters were arrested during non-violent demonstrations against the country's leadership.
(Copyright ©2012 OnTheRedCarpet.com. All Rights Reserved.)
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario