KHUJAND, November 9, Asia-Plus - Another five residents of the northern district of Isfara have been arrested on suspicion of being members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), according to the Sughd police department.

A source at the Sughd police department said that they had been arrested during the investigation of the attack on three Isfara officials that took place on September 27.  

The detainees aged 23 to 33 are jobless residents of the city of Isfara: Akramkhoja Turayev; Abdukholiq Abdulloyev; Nuriddin Ubaidulloyev; Akmal Abdulloyev and Khairullo Zokirov.  

When searching a house of one of the detainees, police found 80 kilograms of ammoniac nitrate and 4 kilograms of aluminum powder.  “The law enforcement officers have reason to suppose that householder has ties to the IMU and had contacts with the IMU members Abdurahim Umarov and Abdukholiq Boboyev, carrying out their orders,” the source said.  

The source added that in the house of another detainee, police discovered a basement that, according to police, may have been used by IMU members as a refuge.  “For Tajik passports were found in the basement,” the source said.