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Moscow Police Say Detained 'Islamic State Recruiters' Are Illegal Migrants

Moscow police have denied media reports about the detention in Moscow of a group of people with links to the Islamic State terrorist organization, the Interfax news agency reported Thursday.

The detained group — all citizens of Central Asian states — are suspected of violating immigration laws, the news agency reported, citing a spokesperson for the Moscow department of the Interior Ministry.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the two of the detained individuals for producing fake identification documents, the police said.

On Wednesday, Russian media reported that police in Moscow had detained 18 people suspected of recruiting new members for the Islamic State, which is banned in Russia.

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