The plot was allegedly conceived by the Islamist Chechen rebel Doku Umarov (pictured above), who the United Nations list as being associated with Al-Qaeda.

Umarov is also thought to be responsible for some of the worst terror atrocities to hit Russia, including the bombing of the Moscow Metro in 2010.

The NAK say he was assisted by Georgian officials, and in total three men were arrested in connection with the plot, which allegedly targeted the Games.

Ten caches of weapons were found last week in Abkhazia, an independent former region of Georgia on Russia's southern border.

It is also just a few miles from Sochi, which in less than two years' time will welcome the world for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Russia and Georgia fought a war over Abkhazia in 2008, and relations are still thorny between the two nations.

"Russia's Federal Security Service could establish that militants were planning to move these weapons to Sochi during 2012-2014 to use for terror acts during planning and hosting the Olympic Games," said a statement reported by RIA Novosti.

Sochi 2014 were quick to release a response to quash any question marks over the security of the Games in two years' time.

"We are not in a position to comment on the detail of this incident," a statement read.

"However, Sochi 2014 has always made security its top priority and all Games stakeholders have worked closely to ensure robust and coordinated security preparations.

"We have no doubt this will be a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games."

The Sochi 2014 Games are particularly important to Russia and its newly sworn in President Vladimir Putin.

He has backed the hosting of a number of sports events in the country in the coming years, including the FIFA 2018 World Cup, as Russia works to improve its infrastructure.

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