An Uzbek student was arrested in South Korea: he was accused of financing a terrorist group
He transferred money six times to a member of a terrorist organization in Syria.
A South Korean court found an Uzbek citizen who had been living in the country on a student visa guilty of financing the "Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad" (KTJ) terrorist organization in Syria. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison for transferring a total of 1.25 million won (approximately $936) to a member of the organization.
According to court materials, the Uzbek citizen lived in South Korea on a D-4-1 visa intended for studying the Korean language. He was connected to a KTJ member who identified himself as Uzbek. This individual claimed he was fighting against government forces and Russia in Syria.
Between January 2024 and January 2025, the student transferred money six times to bank accounts provided by a representative of the organization. The total amount of the transfers was 1.25 million won. Although the student knew that the organization was engaged in terrorist activity, he continued to send it money.
The investigation found that a KTJ representative had also asked the student to collect money from another person living in South Korea and send it to Syria. The student did not carry out this task. However, the court assessed this action as an attempt to commit a crime.
Judge Ho So Yun found the Uzbek citizen guilty of violating legislation on combating terrorism. The court's ruling noted that financing terrorist organizations poses a threat to international peace and public safety.
In imposing the sentence, the court took into account the defendant's guilty plea. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison. Additionally, a forfeiture of 1.25 million won was ordered.
KTJ was established in December 2014 and has been added to the UN Security Council sanctions list. The group is suspected of involvement in the bombing near the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan in 2016 and the terrorist attack in the St. Petersburg metro in 2017.
The name, age, and university of the Uzbek citizen have not been disclosed. There is also no information on whether an appeal was filed against the first-instance court's verdict or whether the ruling has entered into legal force.
