Moscow, Russia - Satanists are more of a threat in Russia than Islamic extremists, a top police expert said as he warned of a growing wave of radical groups, Interfax news agency reported.
"It is not Islamists that hold a special danger but those from Satanic sects and other similar organizations," said Igor Sundiyev, a senior expert at a Russian police research institute, Interfax reported.
Satanic groups are mostly found in large Russian cities and they often have contacts with other extremist organizations, Sundiyev said.
Altogether some 1,500 new religious organizations are formed each year in Russia of which 300-400 are dubbed extremist by the authorities and banned, he said.