Moscow, Apr 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti): A Russian journalist, detained in Dagestan republic, has been charged with setting up an illegal armed group.

Kamil Magomedov, who worked as a reporter for the Free Republic newspaper in Dagestan, was detained in March.

According to the case, the group was a part of a criminal gang led by Ilyas Sharipov, a brother of suicide bomber Mariam Sharipova. Sharipova blew herself up at the Moscow subway's Lubyanka station in March 2010, killing 26 people.

The charges against Magomedov include extortion and illegal acquisition and possession of firearms and explosives. Three other suspected members of his group were also charged in the case.

Magomedov organised a criminal group in Dagestan in February 2012, the prosecutors said.

"To finance the activity of their armed group, they extorted large sums of money from businessmen, chiefs of various enterprises and other individuals... demanding from five to 20 million rubles (from $170,000 to $680,000) and threatening to kill them if they refused," they said.

Searches in Magomedov's house and garage revealed weapons, ammunition, explosives, camouflage outfits and Islamist literature, they said.