Police officers stand guard on the platform of a metro station in Moscow, capital of Russia, on April 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Oleg Brusnikin)

MOSCOW, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said Tuesday it had detained in the Moscow region 69 leaders and members of the Islamic Tablighi Jamaat organization banned in Russia as extremist.

"During searches, extremist literature, means of communication, and electronic equipment containing data on illegal activities were seized," an FSB statement said.

The statement did not elaborate on the activities of the group run by Central Asia-born ringleaders with some Russian citizens involved in them, but stated that it "used measures of conspiracy and resistance to law enforcement agencies."

Tablighi Jamaat, or "Those Who Preach", is also known as the "Society for Spreading Faith."

Tablighi Jamaat claims to be apolitical but is banned in several countries, including Russia, where the Supreme Court outlawed it in 2009, calling it an extremist organization making statements aimed at inciting national, racial and religious hatred.