KAZAN, October 14 (RAPSI) - Eight alleged leaders of the regional branch of the international terrorist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami were arrested in Russian Federation's Republic of Tatarstan on Tuesday, the local department of the Federal Security Service reports.

“As a result of a special operation to prevent the activity of the regional branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami, eight leaders of the branch were arrested. During the search at 20 locations, a substantial number of propaganda materials were confiscated,” the report says.

The agency revealed that the detainees actively participated in provocations against Muslims, including “by involving them in attempted coups in Syria, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and other countries.”

Some of the detainees already have criminal records for organizing the activity of Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami. Some were convicted in Kazan four years ago of violent seizure of power or violent retention of power.

Now they may face up to 10 years in prison for organizing terrorist activity.

Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami (Islamic Party of Liberation) was included in the list of terrorist organizations in a number of countries. Its activity was also prohibited in Russia by a Supreme Court order of 2003. The organization’s goal is to remove non-Muslim governments and establish Islamic rule on a global scale by creating a “worldwide caliphate.”

Members of Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami are regularly arrested in Russian regions, mainly in large cities in Central Russia, the Volga Region and Siberia. It was also reported that there are many supporters of the organization in Crimea, which was reunited with Russia last spring.