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Two Hizb ut-Tahrir terror suspects arrested in Crimea until September

They are facing up to 20 years or a life sentence behind bars, according to the court’s website

SIMFEROPOL, July 9. /TASS/. The Kievsky District Court of Simferopol has arrested two remaining suspected members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist organization (outlawed in Russia) until September, the court’s website informed on Thursday.

One of the suspects was placed under home arrest until September 2 on Tuesday due to a disability. On Wednesday, three more suspects were placed in custody until September 2, 2020, while one was remanded until September 1. They were charged under Article 205.5 Part 2 of the Russian Criminal Code (Participation in an organization deemed terrorist on the territory of the Russian Federation).

The remaining suspects have been placed in custody until September 1-2, 2020, the court informed on Thursday, due to the possibility of their escape, as they are facing up to 20 years or a life sentence behind bars.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in Crimea said in a statement on Tuesday that it had detained three ringleaders and four active members of Hizb ut-Tahrir.

"FSB officers, together with the Interior Ministry and the National Guard in Crimea, have exposed a cell of the Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami international terrorist organization. Three ringleaders and four active members have been detained," the statement reads.

According to the FSB, the detained were involved in activities violating the Russian Constitution, based on the idea to create the so-called global Caliphate, destroy secular public institutions and overthrow the current government by force. "They secretly spread terrorist ideas among Crimeans and recruited Crimean Muslims," the FSB added.

A large amount of banned Hizb ut-Tahrir propaganda materials, communication equipment and digital storage devices were seized during searches of their homes. Criminal cases have been opened against the detained.