Cell of Hizb ut-Tahrir extremist group busted in Turkestan region of Kazakhstan

This was reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Their officers, together with the National Security Committee, identified and eliminated a cell of Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami in Kentau.

"The ideology of the organization is aimed at overthrowing the secular constitutional order in the country. The group's members promoted terrorism narratives and insulted the religious feelings of people with other beliefs," the ministry's press service clarified.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the cell members actively promoted the ideas of Hizb ut-Tahrir on the Internet and distributed lectures of the group’s radical preachers. The group's leader has already been tried for participating in the activities of a banned extremist organization.

Ten members of the group were detained in Kentau, with banned literature and other evidence of propaganda activities seized from them.

A pre-trial investigation is underway.

In July, Hizb ut-Tahrir adherents were detained in Shymkent.