MOSCOW. July 1 (Interfax) - The leader of a local unit of the Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami international terrorist organization (banned in Russia) has been detained in Russia's internal republic of Tatarstan on suspicion of spreading terrorist ideology and recruiting supporters, the press center of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said.
"The Federal Security Service together with units of the Russian Guard and the Interior Ministry detained the leader of the Tatarstan cell of the Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami international terrorist organization as part of a special operation in the republic of Tatarstan," the press center said in a statement shared with Interfax on Thursday.
The FSB has declined to disclose the suspect's name.
"It has been established that this person has been spreading belligerent Islamist terrorist ideology among citizens of Russia, including using the Internet, an ideology which is based on intolerance toward other religions, and has been recruiting Russian Muslims to this international terrorist organization," the press center said.
"Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami propaganda materials banned in Russia, communications equipment, and electronic storage devices used by him to carry out his terrorist activities were seized from the suspect during searches," it said.
"The investigative authorities have opened a criminal case," the press center said.