BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz authorities have apprehended an alleged leader of the Hizb ut-Tahrir Islamic group, which is banned in the mostly Muslim Central Asian nation.
The State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said that the suspect, who is an Uzbek citizen whose identity was not disclosed, had been detained on November 4 in the southern Osh region that borders Uzbekistan.
According to the UKMK, the detained person used forged documents to stay in the country and is wanted in Uzbekistan on extremism charges.
In a separate statement on November 10, the UKMK said that several leaders and members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, including teenagers, were detained at a gathering in the northern Chui region.
Hizb ut-Tahrir is a global organization based in London that seeks to unite all Muslim countries into an Islamic caliphate but says its methods for reaching that goal are peaceful.
The group has been banned as extremist in Central Asian nations and Russia.
Alleged Leader Of Banned Islamic Group Detained In Kyrgyzstan
Material displayed by Kyrgyz security services, which they say was found at the residence of an alleged member of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir Islamic group in Osh.