SOCHI. Oct 16 (Interfax) - The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is aware of the existence of nearly 5,500 Russian terrorist fighters, over 200 of whom have returned to their home country and been convicted, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov said at the 18th meeting of security and special services chiefs in Sochi on Wednesday.
"Nearly 5,500 Russian citizens who went abroad to fight on the side of terrorists have been identified. Criminal cases have been opened in regard to almost 4,000 of them," Bortnikov said.
Thirty-two out of 337 terrorist fighters who returned to Russia have been arrested, and 224 have been convicted, he said.