Suspected leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir Sakhalin unit detained
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. May 17 (Interfax) - Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers in Sakhalin have detained a man who is suspected of leading the local unit of the Hizb ut-Tahrir extremist organization, the FSB regional branch said in a press release on Friday.
"During a search, items resembling a PM pistol and 16 cartridges for it, as well as two F-1 grenades were found among the detained man's personal belongings. Apart from that, printed materials, including religious books possibly belonging to so-called radical Islam, were confiscated from the same apartment," it said.
An Antiterrorist Center officer's ID card, which resembles an FSB officer's ID, was seized from the suspect. An organization such as the Antiterrorist Center is not present on the list of Russian ministries and agencies, it said.
A criminal investigation was started on counts of extremism and illegal possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices, according to the press release.
On February 14, 2003, the Russian Supreme Court recognized Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organization and banned its operations on Russian territory.