MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Saida Khalikova, a student in the Russian Astrakhan Medical Academy in the south of the country, collected and donated money to an online charity foundation allegedly helping Muslim orphans, her lawyer Sabir Aghayev told RIA Novosti.
Later, it was revealed that the charity's website was administered by a Russian girl who had recently converted to Islam and was residing in Syria.
"My client did not know who owned the website, she collected [the money]…and donated it to the account. Only after that she learned that the site belonged to the followers of non-traditional Islam, and the money had been collected in order to support the IS," Aghayev said.
According to the lawyer, the student admitted she had sent the money to the charity but said she knew nothing about the real objectives of the foundation.
Khalikova has been charged with promoting terrorism, and remains in custody pending trial. The charges she is facing may lead to the imprisonment of up to 10 years.
The Islamic State is a Sunni militant group in control of vast territories in Iraq and Syria. The militants are notorious for their brutality and human rights abuses, and known to be recruiting members from different parts of the world.
To date, at least 20,000 foreign fighters have joined ISIL, according to US National Counterterrorism Center estimates.
