The Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) has updated the list of organisations and individuals who they believe are involved in terrorist activities. Former political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich and Ihar Alinevich who were arrested amid post-election protests in Belarus are in the crosshairs.
The names of 17 Belarusians who, according to the KGB, belonged to the so-called groups of Autukhovich and Alinevich have been added to the list. These are Mikalai Autukhovich, Pavel Sava, Artur Papok, Iryna Harachkina, Syarhei Razanovich, Pavel Razanovich, Lyubou Razanovich, Iryna Melkher, Anton Melkher, Halina Dzerbysh, Viktar Snehur, Uladzimir Hundar, Volha Mayorava, Ihar Alinevich, Dzmitry Dubouski, Syarhei Ramanau, Dzmitry Razanovich.
Alinevich’s group was detained in late October not far from the Ukrainian border, it included anarchists Ihar Alinevich, Dzmitry Dubouski, Dzmitry Razanovich and Syarhei Ramanau. The KGB claims that they set fire to the traffic police department in the town of Mazyr as well as to the vehicles parked near the building of Salihorsk prosecutor’s office.
On December 8, state-controlled TV station Belarus 1 reported that the KGB arrested a ‘group of terrorists’ who were behind grave crimes in Hrodna and the region, including committing acts of arson and bombing to ‘exert pressure on security forces and their families’. The gang was led by former Vaukavysk businessman Mikalai Autukhovich, the authorities said. They also named Syarhei, Lyubou and Pavel Razanovich, Iryna Harachkina, Iryna and Anton Melkher as members of his group.
When making a speech at the Belarusian People’s Congress on February 11, Belarusian KGB chairman Ivan Tsertsel warned that ‘the time to relax’ had not come yet. He stated that ‘fugitives, adventurers, tricksters, and simple traitors’ like Mikalai Autukhovich and Ihar Alinevich were allegedly prepared to take ‘bloody measures’.
“We have credible information about the intentions of others to commit acts of terrorism on the territory of our country. In general, I emphasize: they are ready for anything – for any crime, not sparing women or children,” said Tsertsel.
