NIZHNY NOVGOROD, September 7 (RIA Novosti - Volga area, Andrei Rukavishnikov) - The trial of three members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir extremist organization (the Islamic Party of Liberation) began in Nizhny Novgorod Wednesday, the local department of the Federal Security Service's assistance programs said Wednesday.

The defendants are Palestinian Hebron al-Julaidi Ammar Mahmoud and Daghestani residents Magomed Nurmagomedov and Yusup Magomedov. They are accused of attempting to involve an individual in terrorist activities.

Earlier reports suggested that, under the guise of students of Islam and Arabic, the three men tried to recruit Muslims to their organization. Al-Julaidi was the leader of the group.

At the start of the trial, Al-Julaidi pleaded guilty and the other two men admitted some of the charges. The court then adjourned until September 14.

Hizb ut-Tahrir, a radical Islamic and political organization, was set up in 1953. Its goal is to re-establish Caliphate by means of jihad, or holy war, and to restore Shariah rule, a body of Muslim rules of law. The organization first operated in Uzbekistan and then expanded its influence to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.