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Women's extremist cell uncovered in Kyrgyzstan

Women say that they gathered to study books about Islam together
Kyrgyzstan’s police EPA/YURI KOCHETKOV
Kyrgyzstan’s police
© EPA/YURI KOCHETKOV

BISHKEK, February 24. /TASS/. Kyrgyzstan’s law enforcers have uncovered a Hizb ut-Tahrir group consisting of women in southern Osh Region, the press secretary of regional department of internal affairs Zhenish Ashirbayev told TASS on Wednesday.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is an extremist organization banned in Kyrgyzstan in Russia. The group was uncovered during search operations, Ashirbayev said. "During the search in one of the houses sanctioned by prosecutor’s office, our officers found 16 women and confiscated extremist materials from them," he added. 

Criminal cases were opened against three women. "Women say that they gathered to study books about Islam together. Consequently, the level of their involvement in extremist structures will be established after the investigation necessary in such cases is completed," the press secretary noted adding that relevant theological expertise will be used as well.

The Hizb ut-Tahrir organization seeks to overthrow existing regimes in Central Asian countries and establish the new state of "Islamic caliphate" on the territory of the Fergana Valley. According to Kyrgyzstan’s interior ministry, emissaries of extremist and terrorist organizations have been actively recruiting women over the last years. Around 25% out of 508 people who left Kyrgyzstan for Syria and Iraq are women.