A foreign citizen was detained at North Ossetia’s Verkhny Lars Checkpoint while attempting to leave for Georgia on 17 October. The woman, who authorities have not named, is accused of recruiting militants to fight in Syria by marrying them.

A spokesperson for the FSB Border Agency in North Ossetia, Alexander Chumakov, told OC Media she was identified at the crossing when she presented her passport.

‘Appropriate operations were immediately carried out, during which they established that it was indeed her. In the interests of the investigation, we cannot disclose the name of the detainee or her citizenship’, Chumakov told OC Media.

According to a statement from North Ossetia’s Border Police, the detainee is suspected of deliberately inducing young people to take part in ‘terrorist activities’ and of helping them travel to Syria.

Citing their sources, the department also said the woman had escorted recruits during transfers from Turkey to Syria. Her first husband, who they say introduced her to ‘distorted views of Islamic fundamentalism’, was reportedly killed in the conflict in the Middle East.

‘Despite her far from blooming age, this foreign woman has mastered the skills of internet communication and psychological manipulation. Under the pretext of establishing marital relations, she introduced young people to radical ideas. Instead of a “honeymoon”, immediately after the religious marriage ceremony the groom was expected to travel to Syria to join the ranks of illegal armed groups’, the report said.

Chumakov told OC Media that the woman is currently being held in the Centre for Counterterrorism. An investigation is underway.