ST. PETERSBURG, September 4 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) – The Oktyabrsky District Court of St. Petersburg has extended detention of nine natives of Central Asian states charged with recruiting for Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamic State (ISIS), terrorist organizations banned in Russia and internationally until December 4, RAPSI correspondent reports from the court on Monday.

Kirgizstan-born Atabek Rustamov, Feruza Inakov, Iskander Nurbayev, Aidzhigit Aitmatov, Azizbek Rustamov and Uulu Islambek Oibek, as well as Kirgizstan-born Russian nationals Bakhdir Madrakhimov, Shurkhat Satymbayev and Uzbekistan-born Zhurabek Muratov shall stay in detention until December 4, the court ruling reads.

All nine men were arrested after searches conducted by the police, Russian National Guard and Federal Security Service (FSB) in St. Petersburg on April 5 and April 6.

According to investigators, from November 2015 till present, the accused were recruiting new members of Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organizations banned in Russia and other illegal militant groups for committing crimes of a terrorist nature. Recruits were predominantly natives of Central Asian republics.

Searches were conducted at the suspects’ places of residence; law enforcement officers seized extremist literature, documents and other items significant to the case.

Police raids were carried out in the wake of a terrorist attack on St. Petersburg’s underground transport system.

On April 3, at around 2:40 PM Moscow time, an unknown device exploded in a train between St. Petersburg metro stations Technological Institute and Sennaya Ploshchad. Over 50 people were wounded and 16 died in the blast. Eleven people were detained on charges of committing an act of terror and other related crimes.