Militants of the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda (outlawed in Russia) may set up a new major terrorist holding with a significant destructive potential, first deputy head of a special purpose center of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Kozhetev said on Monday.

"A new global challenge may be the alliance of the IS and Al-Qaeda," said Kozhetev, who also heads the anti-terrorist center. "The unification of these terrorist organizations may lead to the creation of a hybrid terrorist holding," he said.

This holding may have a powerful resource basis and a serious destructive potential, according to Kozhetev.

The official addressed a conference on "Countering illegal arms supplies in the context of fight against international terrorism" in Moscow, which kicked off on Monday. The two-day event is dedicated to the Solidarity Day in anti-terror fight marked in Russia on September 3.