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Tatarstan Deems Manuscripts Of 'Catacomb' Islamic Sect Leader Extremist


Faizrakhman Sattarov, organizer of a radical Muslim sect in Tatarstan.
Faizrakhman Sattarov, organizer of a radical Muslim sect in Tatarstan.
KAZAN, Russia -- A court in Kazan, the capital of Russia's republic of Tatarstan, have designated as extremist the manuscripts of the leader of an underground Islamic sect.

The court ruled on August 22 that the writings of Faizrakhman Sattarov "incite interreligious hatred and contradict traditional Islamic teachings."

The sect established and run by Sattarov, 84, was officially banned in Tatarstan earlier this year.

In August 2012, police found 27 children and 38 adults living in catacomb-like cells that had been dug out eight levels under Sattarov's home.

Some children were born underground and had never seen the light of day.

The sect was discovered in a suburb of Kazan during an investigation into attacks on Tatarstan's Muslim clerics.

The sect, dubbed Faizrakhmanists, does not recognize Russian law or the authority of Tatarstan's mainstream Muslim leaders.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

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