Russian Investigators Identified Over 700 Extremists in 2016

A total of 707 individuals, who have conducted crimes of extremist nature, were identified in 2016 in Russia, according to the head of Russia's Investigative Committee.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian investigators had identified more than 700 extremists and sent almost 250 cases on the issue to the court in 2016, Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia's Investigative Committee, said.

"[A total of] 707 individuals, who have conducted crimes of extremist nature, were identified in 2016. Investigators from the Investigative Committee brought 249 criminal cases over such crimes to court," Bastrykin told Russia's Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper in an interview, which is due to be published on Friday.

The official added that the Investigative Committee had also initiated 137 cases over the terrorist crimes and had sent 56 such cases to the court.

Countries across the globe have been tightening their security measures in relation to series of terrorist attacks, including the downing of a Russian airliner in the Sinai Peninsula on October 31, 2015, attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015 and in Brussels on March 22, 2016.