Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has arrested several men during anti-terror raids in St. Petersburg, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.
The men, whose names remain unknown, reportedly belonged to the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
In a press statement, the FSB said that the men had been detained as a “preventative measure.” The number of detainees remains unknown. They are set to be charged under Russian laws which ban the organization of terrorist groups, Interfax reported.
In August 2016, three men found guilty under similar laws were sentenced to between 5 and 17 years in prison by a Russian court.
Hizb ut-Tahrir has been classified a terrorist organization within in Russia since 2003. However, the group operates legally in a number of other countries, including Ukraine and the United States.
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