Russian philosophy student accused of having links with ISIS brought to trial

A Moscow court has started initiated a trial on Moscow State University student Alexandra Ivanova (Varvara Karaulova), who has been accused of having links with a terrorist organization Islamic State.

The defendant has pleaded not guilty.

"It is unclear what these charges have to do with me. I did not join anything, am not a terrorist, and had not intention of becoming one," she said.

In late May 2015, Moscow State University philosophy student Varvara Karaulova flew to Turkey to join the Islamic State. She did not tell her parents. In early June, Karaulov was detained along with 14 other Russians at the Turkish-Syrian border and sent back to Russia, where charges were brought against her.

At the end of October 2015, it became known that investigators had the court to call a student into custody because she continued to interact with a recruiter. Karaulova, who changed her name to Alexandra Ivanova, was arrested.

Karaulova's defense has to tried to appeal the arrest and bring an end to the criminal case, but the Supreme Court rejected its appeal.