In this video grab, Russian Federal Security Service operatives detain a man outside Moscow on Sept. 30, 2017.
Members of the group were active in promoting their radical ideology and recruiting new supporters into their extremist sect.
MOSCOW, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said Friday it has prevented terrorist activities by a religious extremist organization in the North Caucasus region.
The FSB has "suppressed the activities of two cells belonging to the international extremist religious organization Al-Takfir wal-Hijra, banned in Russia, in the country's Republics of Karachay-Cherkessia and Dagestan, consisting of a total number of more than 20 people," it said in a statement.
Members of the group were active in promoting their radical ideology and recruiting new supporters into their extremist sect, according to the statement.
"They called on believers to reject secular laws and institutions of civil society, and also advocated for the creation of a theocratic Islamic state -- 'Caliphate' in the North Caucasus region," the statement said.
An investigation into the criminal case is currently underway, following which the members of the organization will be identified. ■
