A man of Kazakh nationality who was allegedly a foreign agent was arrested in Kazakhstan over a planned assassination attempt on the president and senior officials.

According to data from the Kazakh National Security Committee (KNB), the man was planning assassination attempt on the president of Kazakhstan and a number of high-ranking state officials of the country.  

At the same time, he reportedly planned to commit terrorist acts against officers of special and law enforcement agencies.

The man, the citizen of Kazakhstan and the agent of foreign intelligence “A”, was reportedly arrested in Nur-Sultan on March 25, 2022.  

A report released by the National Security Committee on April 3 says a foreign-made sniper rifle, drugs and large sums of cash were seized during a house search of the man’s home. 

The agent’s job also was to disseminate anti-Russian propaganda in Kazakhstan and create Russophobia views in community by publishing relevant materials on social networks.

During the preliminary investigation, the man reportedly confessed to committing the above acts on the instructions and in the interests of a foreign state. 

Criminal proceedings have bene instituted against the man under the provisions of two articles of Kazakhstan’s Pena Code: Article 24 (2) – preparation for crime and criminal attempt; and Article 255 (4) terrorism.  An investigation is under way.