ROSTOV-ON-DON, May 6 (RAPSI) - The police have arrested seven members of a banned organization suspected of recruiting new members and promoting a global jihad, the regional investigative committee reported on Monday.

Takhir Dzhaksibekov, 29, together with his accomplices, has served as a member of an international religious group qualified as extremist since February 2013.

They supported the illegal armed units that fought in the Middle East and North Caucasus, propagandized a global jihad in Russia's Astrakhan Region, and recruited and urged locals to engage in terrorist activity, the investigators said.

As a result, some local residents agreed to join the banned religious group.

Seven men between the ages of 19 and 36 have been arrested after a joint operation conducted by the local police, the regional department of the Federal Security Service and the Investigative Committee, the Interior Ministry's Astrakhan Regional Department reported.

During the searches, the authorities confiscated several TNT blocks, a detonator, wires, Kalashnikov cartridges and extremist booklets.

All of the suspects have been arrested. They face criminal charges for storing arms, terrorist propaganda and inciting hatred.

They cumulatively may be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.