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Two members of Tablighi Jamaat extremist movement detained in Russia's Kazan

On May 7, 2009, the Tablighi Jamaat movement was declared an extremist organization and outlawed by Russia’s Supreme Court

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Officers of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) have detained two members of the Tablighi Jamaat movement deemed an extremist organization by Russia, the press service of Tatarstan’s FSB branch said in a statement.

According to the press service, on Wednesday, officers of the Moscow FSB branch together with their colleagues from the Tatarstan FSB branch and the Counter-terrorism Center of the Russian Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate, detained two members of the Tablighi Jamaat international movement, deemed extremist and outlawed in Russia.

The two were apprehended over a criminal case involving extremist activities, initiated by the Moscow FSB branch on December 16, 2016.

"The detained were active members of the Tablighi Jamaat international movement, recruiting new members among adherers of non-traditional Islam," the press service of the Tatarstan FSB branch added.

After searching their dwellings, documents proving their illegal activities have been seized, the FSB sources said.

On December 22, 2016, the Moscow FSB branch announced that the FSB together with the Interior Ministry and Russia’s National Guard, had searching their dwellings seven Tablighi Jamaat members in the Moscow region. According to the FSB, foreign emissaries led the group while new members were sent to camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan to receive special training.

On May 7, 2009, the Tablighi Jamaat movement was declared an extremist organization and outlawed by Russia’s Supreme Court.

The movement was started in 1927 in India, but at present its headquarters are in Pakistan. However, Tablighi Jamaat is not officially registered in any country.

In late October, 2016, a local Tablighi Jamaat cell leader was apprehended in Tatarstan, another eight cell members had been detained earlier. Members of the movement were also revealed in the Novosibirsk region, the Republic of Yakutia and the Altai region.