MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Security Service has detained leaders and active members of cells of a banned extremist Islamic group, Tablighi Jamaat, in four Russian regions, the FSB Center of Public Relations told TASS.

"Russia’s FSB jointly with the Russian Interior Ministry and the forces of the National Guard in the Volga Federal District thwarted the activity of Tablighi Jamaat, an international religious extremist organization banned in Russia’s territory," the center reported.

In a joint search and rescue effort, leaders and active participants of this group were nabbed in the Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Saratov and Ulyanovsk regions.

During the search of their homes and conspirative apartments, a large amount of banned materials, data storage devices, communication means and debit cards were found.

Several criminal cases were launched into setting up an extremist organization, which carry a penalty of up to six years behind bars. An investigation is underway.