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Sochi Hotels Warned About Terrorist Threat As Police ‘Urgently Search’ For ‘Black Widow’

By Patricia Didelot
Published on: 23:29 PST, Jan 20, 2014

Sochi hotels are receiving a warning from police about a “black widow” terrorist they say, could potentially carry out an attack.

As the Winter Olympics near, news of disturbing developments were revealed Monday, with authorities seeking a female suicide bomber, warships ready for action off the coast, and the release of a video threat.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to assure those attending the winter games in Sochi that his country is prepared to face any threat, despite two earlier bombings in the city of Volgograd, for which the militant group Vilayat Dagestan has taken responsibility.

The latest security concern comes after police said an “urgent search” is underway for a Black widow, who is allegedly prepared to attack Sochi as thousands are expected to converge on the Winter Olympics site.

Police in the Russian city handed out fliers at area hotels warning of a woman they believe could be a terrorist and who may currently be in the area.

The fliers asks local hotels to be on the lookout for Ruzanna “Salima” Ibragimova, who is believed to be the widow of a member of a militant group from the Caucasus region.

CNN obtained a copy of the flier, which is dated January 15, from security staff at a hotel in Sochi. The flier claims authorities have received information about Ibragimova’s possible arrival in the region last week.

Photos of the dangerous woman have been plastered all over town as well as on social media and news programs to make people aware of what to look for.

A “black widow” — a type of terrorist that has surfaced in Russia’s clashes with Chechen separatists — is usually the wife of insurgents killed by government forces, and they’ve been blamed for high-profile suicide bombings.

But this is not the only suspect authorities in charge of Sochi security are looking for, there are many other such females capable of attacking the Olympics, according to US experts.

Vilayat Dagestan said in a video that emerged Sunday that more violence is coming if Putin doesn’t call off the winter games, the Associated Press reports.

“If you hold these Olympics, we will give you a present for the innocent Muslim blood being spilled all around the world: in Afghanistan, in Somalia, in Syria,” two men who are believed to be the Volgograd suicide bombers say. “For the tourists who come, there will be a present, too.”

The US military is assisting Russian authorities with the security for the Sochi games and will have two warships off the coast ready to evacuate American citizen and athletes if needed, a US official said Monday.

The Sochi Winter Olympics will open on February 7.

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