Leader of Nizhny Novgorod cell of banned Nurcular intl sect detained near Moscow

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia - The Volga regional center for combating extremism has detained the leader of the Nizhny Novgorod cell of the banned international religious organization Nurcular.

"Computers, electronic media devices and extremist literature, written by author Said Nursi, were discovered in the suspect's home," the regional police department has reported.

The suspect is under arrest.

The Turkish religious sect Nurcular was founded after World War I by Mullah Nursi of Kurdish ethnicity, who preached the ideas of forming a Sharia government in Turkey.

Nurcular is a multi-tier and rigorously structured organization, whose branches are active in 65 countries. The main command of the Turkish armed forces claimed the organization has 4 million followers, the police department said.

Russia's Supreme Court banned Nurcular activities in Russia on April 10, 2008.