DUSHANBE, April 25, 2016, Asia-Plus – A court in Dushanbe’s Ismoili Somoni district has sentenced local resident Nasim Khoushvakhtov to six years in prison for an attempt to join the terrorist organization known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq.

The sentence reportedly followed his conviction on charges of mercenariness (Article 401 (1) of Tajikistan’s Penal Code).  Khoushvakhtov wills serve his term in a high-security penal colony.

In March last year, Nasim Khoushvakhtov left for Russia to seek better employment opportunities.  In October 2015,  Khoushvakhtov and his cousin Zorobiddin Rahmatullozoda became acquainted with ISIS member through social networks under the nicknames of “Akhi” and “Musab.”

Nasim Khoushvakhtov was arrested by Russia security officers at the airport in Moscow and extradited to Tajik law enforcement authorities.  He was reportedly going to travel to Iraq via Turkey.