Sochi Olympics terrorism threat: Three more ‘black widow’ suspects identified

Images of suspects released by Russian authorities. Clockwise from top left: Oksana Aslanova, Dzannet Tsakhaeva, Zaira Allieva, Murad Musaev and Ruslan Saufutdinov.

By Albina Kovalyova, Richard Engel and Erin McClam, NBC News

SOCHI, Russia — Russian security officials are hunting for three more young Muslim women — so-called “black widow” terror suspects — who they believe are planning to target the final stages of the Olympic torch relay with suicide bomb attacks.

Wanted posters distributed by police say that the women have been dispatched by underground groups to attack between Tuesday and Thursday in Rostov-on-Don, where the torch is expected to arrive Wednesday on its way to the Olympic city of Sochi.

The posters warn that the suspected terrorists may wear clothes that do not adhere to Islamic tradition, such as long dresses and hijabs, so that they can blend and “infiltrate into places with mass gatherings without hindrances.”

Al-Qaeda cartoon: Why terrorists might not be coming for your kids

By Jason Ukman

Sometimes, we in the news business can get carried away.

So after jihadist-watchers this week noted that an extremist had posted a cartoon he was creating to inspire children to join the cause of al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen, the reaction was swift.