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Court In Kazan Convicts Residents For Being Islamic Extremists


A court the capital of Russia's Tatarstan region has convicted and sentenced a man from Kazan on charges of fighting alongside Islamic militants in Syria.

The court in Kazan on December 18 sentenced Raif Mustafin to three years in prison followed by a year of "restricted freedom" -- a sentence that includes limits on travel rights and on holding public office.

Mustafin was arrested in February upon returning to Kazan from Syria.

Authorities did not specify whether he had fought alongside Islamic State militants, Al-Qaeda fighters, of extremists from other groups.


In a separate hearing, three residents of Kazan were convicted of being members of the banned Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Azat Khasanov received a 6 1/2 year sentence while Ildar Shaykhutdinov received a 5 1/2 year sentence and Ilmir Imayev was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in jail.

Based on reporting by Interfax, TASS and RIA Novosti

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