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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Mufti sez Basayev still the main driver of terrorism in Chechnya |
| 2005-03-10 |
| Chechnya's mufti Akhmad-khadzhi Shamayev said Shamil Basayev has been and remains the real leader of the extremists in the republic. "He and Doku Umarov command all armed groups and issue orders to carry out sabotage and terrorist attacks," Shamayev emphasized, "their new leader -- Abdul-khalim Saidullayev - is a puppet in the hands of Basayev and the militant young generation of extremists." "Saidullayev is Maskhadov's protege. After Akhmat Kadyrov denounced Wahhabis, Maskhadov nominated Saidullayev to the post of mufti of "Ichkeria." At that time, he was professing Wahhabism in Argun. However, Saidullayev declined the offer. In Shamayev's view, with the transfer of Maskhadov's powers to Saidullayev, Basayev and Umarov will now have a free hand without any restrictions. "This 'sheikh' is absolutely unknown either in the Islamic world, or in the West. Moreover, he does not enjoy great prestige among Chechnya's religious leaders, because he's known as an advocate of the Wahhabi idea," the mufti said. Saidullayev, however, may have some authority with Maskhadov's associates, he acknowledged. Sheikh Abdul-khalim has never received any special religious education; he is young, about 30 or 40 years of age. He is an active promoter of the idea to set up in Chechnya and the North Caucasus an Islamic caliphate, Shamayev said. "To carry out terrorist attacks and commit murders of both officials and civilians, the militants need the so-called fetwas - permission by their Shariah court, and no murder could happen without Abdul-khalim's approval," he said. Over the past few years, Wahhabis have killed more than 15 clerics in Chechnya. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |