10 April 2009
By Gordon M. Hahn
CONTENTS
- Research and Analysis: “Jihad and Counter-Jihad in Russia, March 2010: Triumph and Tragedy”
- Events Briefing, March 2010
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RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
JIHAD AND COUNTER-JIHAD IN RUSSIA, MARCH 2010: TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY
March 2010 saw both triumph and tragedy in Russia’s was against jihadi terrorism. The first weeks of March saw Russian federal and local Caucasus security agencies score a series of major victories in the war against jihadism and the Caucasus Emirate (CE) mujahedin. As reported in IIPER, No. 10, on March 3rd they killed the CE’s leading operative Said Abu Saad Buryatskii (Aleksandr Tikhomirov) along with seven other mujahedin. Approximately another 10 were captured. It was also reported that surrounded by FSB commandos Buryatskii bade farewell to his fellow mujahedin and spent his last minutes true to form: filming a farewell sermon on his cell phone.[1] No such video has yet to appear on the CE sites.
New information about Buryatskii and the group emerged after our first reports. According to Russian FSB chief Aleksandr Bortnikov, not only were five MVD involved in the group but so was an official of the Ingush branch of the Russian Treasury, A.B. Kozdoev, who was financing the group.[2] Bortnikov and other Russian officials are now stating that evidence discovered at the Kortoev home where Buryatskii was killed indicates that he and the Kortoev group he organized were behind the November 2009 Nevskii Ekspress train bombing as well as several “other major crimes on the territory of the Russian Federation.”[3] The November 27th attack on the Nevskii Express claimed the lives of 27 and wounded nearly one hundred. Readers may recall that IIPER, No. 4 suggested the possibility of Buryatskii’s position either as the amir or main recruiter and developer of suicide bombers of the revived ‘Riyadus Salikhin’ Martyrs’ Battalion and the battalion’s claim of responsibility for the attack. What does not fit this interpretation is the fact that the Nevskii Ekspress bombing was not executed by a suicide bomber.[4]
On March 18, Chechen security forces succeeded in killing Arabic operative Abu Khaled, who was in charge of amir Umarov’s security detail, which suggests the special counter-terrorist operation came close to nabbing Umarov (see more below).
On March 22, law enforcement forces killed the amir of the Grozny sector in the self-declared CE’s “Velayat Nokhchicho” or Chechnya, Salambek Akhmadov (see below).
On March 24, law enforcement killed Anzor Astemirov, aka Seifullah, the chief judge or magistrate of the CE’s Shariah Court and amir of the CE’s United Velaiyat of Kabardia, Balkaria and Karachai (OVKBK). The removal from the jihad of the CE’s chief theologian, Astemirov-Seifullah, on the heels of the killing of the CE’s leading operative and ideologist strikes a major blow to the CE’s propaganda and recruitment efforts. IIPER was preparing a profile of Astemirov-Seifullah at the time of his killing that will appear in the next issue. Indeed, The import of these losses was aptly expressed in a call on one jihadi site for someone to replace Buryatskii to the full extent of his weight within the movement. The global jihadi website Ansar Al-Jihad carried an article by Abd al-Halik al-Mukhajir who pointedly appealed for a new Buryatskii:
“To those who have lagged behind, and I include myself among them: now that the Sheikh has been martyred, the Ummah waits to see who rushes to take his place.
“Who will give up their worldly life in search of Allah’s pleasure? It may seem as though the shoes are too big for you to fill alone: they most probably are!
“It may take the combined effort of five men, or even ten, to give back to the Ummah what the Sheikh’s martyrdom has taken away. The Sheikh was a front-line fighter, and fearless brothers are needed to replace him in the trenches at the front-lines. The Sheikh was a scholar, and the Mujahideen are always in need of guidance and support from the Ulema. The Sheikh was a wonderful speaker, so new brothers are needed with expertise in the field of media and broadcasting.
“How often we talk of going out in the path of Allah, yet another year passes and we are still stuck living among the kuffar? How long will be continue to be like those of whom Allah (s.w.t.) spoke of in Surah at-Tawbah…
“Ya Allah! Send out brothers to take the Sheikh’s place at the front-lines!
“Ya Allah! Give some of our Ulema the courage to leave the lands of the kuffar once and for all, and join the Mujahideen in the trenches!
“Ya Allah! Help the brothers in the media field to spread the messages of our brothers in the Caucusus, and around the world!
“Ya Allah! Grant victory or martyrdom to those fighting for Your sake in the Caucusus, in Iraq, Afgahanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Kashmir, the Islamic Maghreb, the Arabian Peninsula and all around the world!
“Ya Allah! Allow the video messages and written words the Sheikh left behind to continue to inspire Muslims all over the world to go out in the path of Allah!
“Ya Allah! Allow the video messages and written words the Sheikh left behind to continue to bring new brothers and sisters into Islam!
“Ya Allah! Allow the video messages and written words the Sheikh left behind to continue to add to his good deeds!
“Ya Allah! Grant the Sheikh the highest levels of Jannah, and all the rewards reserved for the martyrs!
“Ya Allah! Let the Sheikh’s martyrdom be like the invitation of Amir Muhannad: allow it to provide the last piece of encouragement to make us stop just talking about making Hijra, and finally actually do it!”[5]
DUAL SUICIDE BOMBING IN MOSCOW METRO
Triumph turned to tragedy on March 29th, when two female suicide bombers detonated their bombs 40 minutes apart on the Moscow Metro’s red line on trains approaching the Lubyanka and Park Kultury stations during the peak of the Monday morning rush hour. According to the most recent casualty figures as of writing, 40 were killed and 90 were wounded in the attack. This attack, it can be safely assumed, was perpetrated by CE operatives, as the Russian authorities are claiming. The CE (and its predecessor organization, the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria) is the only organization in Russia with a demonstrated capacity for, and record of carrying out such attacks. Moreover, as IIPER noted in Nos. 4 and 10, with the Nevskii Ekspress Moscow-St. Petersburg train bombing the CE had returned to attacking the ‘far enemy’ – in the Russian context, the Russian heartland and particularly Moscow and St. Petersburg – and CE amir Umarov had declared the CE would bring the war to the Russian heartland.
It is probably an accurate assumption as well that the detonation at the Lubyanka station was intended to send a message to the FSB which leads Russia’s counter-terrorism efforts across Russia, including the North Caucasus.
It is possible that the two female suicide bombers were prepared by the CE’s Riyadus Salikhin Martyrs’ Battalion and Sheikh Said Abu Saad Buryatskii before he met his death on March 3rd, since suicide bombers must undergo more than four weeks preparation and Buryatskii was the main recruiter if not the amir of Riyadus Salikhin. Thus, it might be that Buryatskii “slammed the door” as he left this world.
However, early reports on who the shakhidky were suggest a Chechnya-Dagestan connection. One was Dzhennet Adurakhmanova (sometimes referred to as Abdullaeva), the 17-year old wife of the deceased amir of the CE’s Dagestan Vilaiyat Umalat Magomedov (aka al-Bara) killed by security forces on 31 December 2009.[6] The second, 20-year old Markha Ustarkhanova, was reportedly from Chechhnya and the widow of the amir of the Gudermes mujahedin Said-Emin Khizriev killed in October 2009 while preparing to assassinate Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.[7] As noted in IIPER, No. 3 (Gordon M. Hahn, “The Caucasus Emirate’s Return to Suicide Bombing and Mass Terrorism,” IIPER, No. 3, November 30, 2009) Amir of the Vedeno Sector of the CE’s Nokhchicho Velaiyat, Khusein Gakaev announced in summer 2009 that he had prepared 20 suicide bombers.[8] Kizlyar, Dagestan is located across the border from Vedeno, Chechnya, and several successful and interdicted suicide bombing attacks apparently organized by Gakaev were implemented with involvement of elements in Kizlyar.[9]
A “Letter from the Mujahedin to Sisters Who Are Working on the Path of Allah and to the Mothers, Wives and Daughters of Martyrs” published on the CE sites on March 16th may have served as the signal to carry out the attacks. Several parts of the letter urged the “sisters” to engage in jihadi battle:
Remember about your responsibilities in this world – because it is worshiping Allah and Jihad on His path. Do not forget of the Jihad that was done by wives of companions and how they loved it.
Abdul Mutalib’s daughter Sofia (may Allah be pleased with her) took a part in the battle at Uhud: she was bringing water, bandaging wounded ones. She was there together with the nephew of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh), her brother Hamza and son Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them). She took part along with them in this battle.
She was over 60 years old (may Allah be pleased with her) during the battle at Handak. All residents of Medina went out to fight against the unbelievers who surrounded the city. Jews lived on one side of Medina, and prophet (pbuh) had an agreement with them that they would not be despicable and would not betray the Muslims.
When the unbelievers’ attack against Muslim grew stronger, the Jews decided to break an agreement so they could take Muslim woman and children to captivity. At that time Muslims had collected all their women and children in the large fortified house of Hassan Ben Sabat (may Allah be pleased with them). The Jews began to creep towards this house, and Sofia (may Allah be pleased with her) noticed them. And then she said:
“If Jews find out that there are no men here, they will try to take women and children in slavery”.
She tied her head with the cloak, tightened her clothes, took a lance and injured the Jew couple times. After that she has chopped off his head and threw it to the other Jews. And then the Jews said:
“We knew that Muhammad (pbuh) wouldn’t leave women and children without protection”.
And they turned around and left.
This story is about Ummul Amarati (may Allah be pleased with her) who was fighting in front of prophet (pbuh) and protected him until she received twelve wounds.[10]
A Dagestan connection to the Moscow attacks was also suggested by its temporal proximity to the attack just two days later by two male suicide bombers in Kizlyar, Dagestan, killing 12 and wounding 27. Of the 12 killed, 9 were reported to be state agents – specifically 9 MVD personnel. Of the 27 wounded, 18 were MVD personnel.[11]
Summing up March and early 2010, the two sides – the CE and the rest of Russia – continue to slug it out like two evenly matched prize fighters taking and delivering blows in turn. It remains to be seen, however, if there will be a lull in CE operational capacity once the suicide bombers he trained and the others he motivated by his sermons are exhausted. The test will come with this summer’s campaign. The North Caucasus mujahedin have proven resilient in the past, so there is little reason to expect a major fall off in activity this summer compared to last.
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CAUCASUS EMIRATE’S TERRORISM TALLY FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2010
In 2010, the Caucasus Emirate (CE) continues to wage a strong campaign of terrorist violence in the Russia’s North Caucasus after two successful years in 2008 and 2009 that included, respectively, 373 and 511 jihadi-related violent incidents (mujahedin attacks, battles between state forces and mujahedin, and state counter-terrorist operations. As of March 1st, some 44 jihadi attacks and jihadi-related violence have led to approximately 24 state agents killed and 60 wounded, 7 civilians killed and 10 wounded, and 28 jihadists killed, none wounded, and perhaps 1 captured in 2010. All violent incidents occurred in Ingushetia, Chechnya, and Dagestan with perhaps 1 in Kabardino-Balkaria, and the overwhelming majority were attacks initiated by the mujahedin.
Overall, February was much more violent than January with approximately 17 attacks in January and 27 in February, some 7 state agents killed and 19 wounded in January, but 17 killed and 41 wounded in February. There were some three civilians killed and 1 wounded in January, but 4 killed and 9 wounded in February. There were approximately 12 mujahedin killed and 1 captured in January but 16 killed in February.
Ingushetia continues to lead the CE jihad in 2010 in terms of number of incidents, with some 21 of the 44 jihadi-related incidents having occurred there. Dagestan has been more deadly for state agents with some 10 killed there compared to some 8 in Ingushetia, but Ingushetia has seen more casualties among state agents, with 39 wounded state agents wounded there out of the 60 wounded altogether in Russia this year. Ingusgetia has seen some 12 civilian casualties out of the total of 17. Dagestan has a slight in the number of killed mujahedin with some 11 killed this year.
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EVENTS BRIEFING
“CAUCASUS EMIRATE” MUJAHEDIN
WAS BURYATSKII INVOLVED IN THE ASSASSINATION OF FATHER SYSOEV?
The Russian General Procuracy’s Investigative Committee (SKP) announced on March 17th that preliminary information suggested that an ethnic Kyrgyz and suspected mujahed killed in Dagestan on December 1, 2009 was in possession of the pistol that killed Russian Orthodox priest Danil Sysoev in November 2009. Sysoev was an aggressive proselytizer of Russian Orthodox Christianity who even called on Russia’s Mulsims to covert and debated Russian Islamic thinkers.[12] On November 19, Sysoev was gunned down in his own church, but the gunman escaped. The church’s regent was wounded. On December 1st, traffic police stopped a taxi cab driver. Although the driver was allowed to go on his way, his passenger, one Beksultan Karybekov from Osh, Kyrgyzstan, was brought to the police station for a document check. At the station he refused to show his passport and allegedly attacked police, pulling a hand grenade from his pocket and firing on police with a pistol. He killed one MVD militiaman, whereupon he was shot and killed. However, Karybekov’s parents claimed he was alive and well studying abroad and that their son’s passport had fallen into someone else’s hands. The Kyrgyzstan MVD is not familiar with Karybekov. An unidentified sources in the law enforcement organs, told the human rights organization Memorial’s news site on the North Caucasus, Kavkaz uzel, that Karybekov had a relationship with the late CE operative and ideologist Said Abu Saad Buryatskii, whom he met in his brother’s house in Ulan Ude, the capital of Russia’s Republic of Buryatia, where Buryatskii was born and lived until going to study in Egypt. He allegedly visited Karybekov at Cairo’s Al-Azkhar where both studied.[13]
CE’S IMAM TV PRAISES GLOBAL JIHADI SOCIAL MOVEMENT
The CE-affiliated Imam TV produced an inspirational video titled “The Caliphate – We Are One Umma.” On a background of Arabic-language music footage of mujahedin fighting on the various fronts in the global jihad were presented in the following order of the Afghanistan Emirate, the Caucasus Emirate, Algeria, Somalia, and Iraq, including Zarqawi. This was followed by excerpts from video statements made by CE amir Umarov and a black African mujahed speaking good Russian, perhaps Yasir, who has been fighting in the North Caucasus for years. The former spoke of the global Islamic awakening from slavery under the infidel, and the latter touted the global jihad and coming caliphate.[14] Imam TV specializes in videos for the CE mujahedin, but this particular video was not accessible on its website, http://www.imamtv.com.
CHECHNYA (CE’S “NOKHCHICHO VELAYAT”)
As noted above, on March 22, law enforcement forces killed the amir of the Grozny sector in the self-declared CE’s “Velayat Nokhchicho” or Chechnya, Salambek Akhmadov. He was liquidated in a counter-terrorist operation involving numerous armoured vehicles and troops of the local MVD and FSB. According to an MVD official, the operation led to the killing of one mujahed, Akhmadov, and slightly wounded MVD militiaman. A resident in the apartment block described being waken up and evacuated by law enforcement during the operation.[15] Akhmadov was born in 1969 and joined the Chechen separatist movement in 1999. He was living in Dagestan and planning a series of terrorist attacks to be carried out in Grozny upon his return in spring. Akhmadov, according to Russian law enforcement organs, was wanted for numerous terrorist attacks, including the 2004 attack on Grozny that killed 50 law enforcement, military, and security personnel and 30 civilians and a 2006 attack on personnel of the Grozny’s October district MVD department.[16]
Also, as noted above, on March 18, Chechen security forces succeeded in killing Arabic operative Abu Khaled in the town of Vedeno. According to Russian law enforcement, Khaled was an Arab from “one of the Middle East countries.” He was not only in charge of amir Umarov’s security detail but was also in charge of the technical and psychological training of terrorists. Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov called Khaled’s killing a “major result” claiming he had been one of the three main planners of terrorism in the North Caucasus in recent years, along with two other Arabs – likely Al Qa`ida operative Abu Anas Muhannad and amir Yasir. One of the latter’s trainees, a detonation specialist Islmail Kusaev, was killed during the same in operation in which Khaled was killed.[17] Kavkaz uzel commented accurately that until his death, Khaled had never been mentioned by law enforcement as a key operative on the level with Muhhanad or Yasir.[18]
KABARDINO-BALKARIA (CE’S “UNITED VELAYAT OF KABARDIA, BALKARIA AND KARACHAI”)
INTERVIEW WITH BAKSAN DISTRICT AMIR TASHU KAZBEK
The website of the CE’s United Velayat of Kabardia, Balkaria, and Karachai (OVKBK) headed, the amir of which is CE Shariah Court’s kadi (chief magistrate) Anzor Astemirov or Seifullah, carried the text of an interview with the amir of Baksan District (in Kabardino-Balkaria) Tashu Kazbek.[19] Kazbek claimed that “one of the reasons” he and other mujahedin joined the jihad was the authorities’ murders of relatives and burning of houses of those who “sympathize with monotheists.”
In particular, the interviewer and Kazbek referred to an alleged recent incident, described in a posting on the same jihadi website, in which Kazbek’s wife was awakened late at night by security forces and paraded around her neighborhood in her nightgown. Subsequently, the chief of the alleged ‘operation’ returned her to her home’s courtyard where he began to upbraid her in crude terms, whereupon Kazbek’s wife struck the officer, who proceeded to beat her. She was then allegedly taken to local MVD station and beaten some more bya group of police and threatened with “violence and humiliation.” Relatives arriving at the station were told she was not there, but they found her and spirited her away. Neighbors who witnessed the events were allegedly threatened into retracting their testimony regarding the officer’s behavior. Police then began phoning Kasbek’s wife and intimidating her.[20]
Kazbek continued: “(O)ur enemies commit an even more mean crime – they bow down to idols which disposes them the right to issue laws which contradict the Law of Allah! Yet the deification of someone or something along with Allah is the gravest sin. And the main cause which drives us to take weapons in hand is the defense of the religion from pagans and the elevation of Allah’s word.” [21]
Kazbek practically admitted that he maintains contact with his relatives while fighting the jihad, when he noted: “The dirty infidels phone and say to the women of my family: ‘Where are your brothers? Why don’t they stand up for you?’” Regarding this, Kazbek told his relatives, citing himself: “Be patient, you see the truth is the prophets and his followers tolerated more for the Allah’s sake. Even if they want to burn you alive, then you see they wanted to burn the prophet Ibrahim, and they threw him in an oven, but he came out from the flam whole and unharmed because Allah ordered the flame: ‘O flame! Become for Ibrahim cold and salvation!’” (al-Anbiia’ 21:69). But if you are killed, then you become a martyr on Allah’s path similar to those believers who the pagans burned alive…” Not unusual for the Caucasus tradition of ‘blood revenge’, Kazbek then warns the ‘infidels’ that hey too have relatives and homes that can be killed and burned.[22]
Kazbek claims that the CE intelligence and counter-intelligence department, the Mukhabarat, uncovered a conflict within the ‘infidel’ camp between a faction led by KBR President Arsen Kanokov and “opposition” faction led by the head of the Russian MVD’s Department for the Struggle Against Extremism Yurii Kokov over the “right to steal from the budget.” According to him, Kanokov accused Kokov of conspiring with the nationalist opposition to “destabilize” both Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachaevo-Cherkessia; a task that would be exceedingly difficult since the nationalist ‘opposition’ in those republics are of different nationalities and would be opposing a leadership of the same ethnic background as that of the opposition in the other republic. In the KBR, the ‘opposition’ Balkars are an Alan people and would be opposing the predominant KBR Circassians or Kabards, while in the KChR the ‘opposition’ Cherkess, fellow Circassians with the KBR’s Kabards, would be seeking to overthrow the Karachais, who are Alans like the Balkars. This would be a highly difficult but not impossible combination for a federal official to work. At any rate, according to Kazbek, the Kokov clan’s plan using the nationalism factor has been replaced by one that will utilize the “’Islamic facor’” which foresees further provocations against Kazbek’s family. The mujahedin would then respond, and violence would escalate and be blamed on Kanokov. He claims that Putin has regularly “raped Kanokov on the telephone” for past security lapses, suggesting perhaps that he is privy to inside information from mujahed-moles; something he claims later in the interview (see below). Kazbek warns Kokov and his fellow oppositionists: “(F)orget about the use of the so-called ‘Islamic factor.’ You have already created big problems for yourselves and go further and we will your gnaw your heads off, Allah willing. So hold your lackeys on a short lease, don’t play with fire, and do not put your relatives under attack. We have not touched you so far because your dirty struggle for a place at the trough is beneficial to us. But you obviously have been distracted by your petty intrigues and have forgotten who is the real power here. The Russian infidels will simply run from the Caucasus, and you without them are nobody. Already now they cannot protect you.” [23]
He acknowledged that the CE’s OVKBG mujahedin were behind the killing of a local FSB officer in Tyrnyauz and took revenge for the abduction and disappearance in Bashkortostan of three KBR “Mulsims” including a “generous” and “well-respected” businessman Ibrahim Shchodzhen by firing on police blockposts and carrying out sabotage attacks across the republic, including explosions of electric power line support towers in Malki and Prokhladyi and an electric power substation in Elbrus in the republic. He said they have been carrying out and are continuing explosions of cable lines, which have been the most damaging, requiring repairs costing R17 million, and leading to losses in tourism income of R200-300 million. Kazbek also noted that the OVKBK mujahedin have recently thwarted a “secret” tactic that had allowed them to track down and kill three of OVKBK amir Seifullah’s four amirs in 2008 and 2009 and that the Mukhabarat had restored its intelligence gathering positions in the KBR’s FSB and MVD, which allows them to peremptorily counter the authorities’ technological innovations in intelligence gathering.[24]
Kazbek closed the interview by stating that Dagestan was on the verge of complete chaos. Thus, “the Muslims of the Caucasus and other regions” must now understand and be prepared to bring to life the demands of tawhid (strict monotheism), and all “monotheists” must “concentrate all their forces into a single fist, showing allegiance to each other and rejecting all adherents of sacrilege (paganism)” in order to “raise Allah’s word and affirm tawhid on earth.”[25]
CAUCASUS AUTHORITIES
INGUSHETIA
On March 6th, Ingushetia President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov met with the families of those who sheltered CE jihadi terrorist Said Abu Saad Buryatskii and the other mujahedin who were killed on March 3rd along with Buryatskii when they were discovered by virtue of a tipoff planning a major terrorist attack in Ingushetia. Yevkurov told these families and, by extension, all Ingushetia’s families, that they should know who is coming into their homes. He added that the authorities would continue his policy of trying to draw mujahedin away from the path of jihad by convincing them to do so, but that for those who are not convinced the normal security infrastructure will go into action.[26]
MAINSTREAM ISLAM IN RUSSIA
MAIN ISLAMIC ASSOCIATIONS FORM JOINT COORDINATING BODY
On March 16th, the leaders of the three main mainstream Islamic associations followed agreed to begin negotiations on creating a joint coordinating council and formed the Higher Coordinating Council of the Muslims of Russia (VKSMR). This could be a first step towards eventual unification of Russia’s three main official Islamic organizations, which together include under them practically all of the regional and multi-regional “Muslim spiritual boards or administrations” or DUMs as well as almost all mosques and Muslim educational institutions. The three main umbrella organizations – the Council of Muftis of Russia (SMR) headed by mufti Ravil Gainutdin, the Central Muslim Spiritual Administration (TsDUM) headed by mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin, and the Coordinating Center of the Muslims of the North Caucasus (KTsMSK) headed by Ismail Berdiev. Gainutdin, Tadzhuddin, and Berdiev will apparently co-chair the VKSMR. There is debate among mainstream Muslims over the usefulness of such an organ for Russia’s Muslims. Some see it as a step toward a united Muslim association, which could better defend Muslims’ interests in Russia and end the bitter divisions and competition between the SMR, TsDUM and KTsMSK for favors from the Russian state that has allowed the Kremlin to play one structure off against the others since the collapse of the USSR. Others, however, fear a single, centralized structure could allow Moscow to better co-opt the official Islamic clergy and reduce the autonomous representation of Muslim interests.[27]
FORMER SOVIET UNION
UKRAINE
CRIMEAN ISLAMISTS LAMENT BURYATSKII’S DEMISE
Said Abu Saad Buryatskii’s demise at the hands of Russian forces has a struck a chord across the global jihadi social movement. This was true in places one might not expect. A Crimean Islamist site carried a tribute it took from the CE website Kavkaz tsentr. The posted article was titled “Said Abu Saad Gave Up His Life in Battle With Honor” and was a short excerpt from a Kavkaz tsentr article.[28] Crimea has a large Tatar minority and was the locus of a Muslim Crimean Khanate conquered by Russia in the 18th century.
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Footnotes
[1] Nabi Abdullaev, “Rebel Ideologist Killed After Filming Last Sermon,” Moscow Times, 9 March 2010, www.moscowtimes.com citing the rebel web site Hunafa.com and RIA-Novosti.
[2] “FSB i boeviki podtverzhdaey fakt gibeli v Ingushetii Saida Buryatskogo,” Kavkaz uzel, 6 March 2010, 17:45, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166238/.
[3] “СКП России исследует новые данные по делу о подрыве ‘Невского экспресса’,” Kavkaz uzel, март 08 2010, 09:40, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166286/ and “FSB RF zayavlyaet o raskrytii dela o podryve ‘Nevskogo elspressa’ v 2009 godu,” Kavkaz uzel, 6 March 2010, 18:30, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166239/.
[4] “The Caucasus Emirate Returns to the ‘Far Enemy’?: The ‘Nevskii Express’ Bombing,” Islam, Islamism, and Politics in Eurasia Report, No. 4, December 10, 2009, http://www.miis.edu/media/view/19041/original/iiper_4.doc and http://www.miis.edu/academics/researchcenters/terrorism/research/Hahn/IIPER.
[5] Abd al-Khalik al-Muhajir, “Sheikh, Voin, Shakhid: Said Buryatskii,” Kavkaz tsentr, 17 March 2010, 12:20, http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2010/03/17/71267.shtml citing Ansar al-Jihad Network, 12 March 2010. For an English translation, see Abd al-Khalik al-Muhajir, “The Sheikh, The Mujahid, The Shaheed: Sheikh Said Abu Sa’ad (R.A),” Ansar al-Jihad Network, 12 March 2010 http://www.ansar1.info/showthread.php?t=20265.
[6] Yulia Rybina and Sergei Mashkin, “Smertnitsu sverili so cpiskom,” Kommersant, 2 April 2010, http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1347075.
[7] Sergei Mashkin and Yulia Rybina, “Vzorvavsheesya zveno,” Kommersant, 1 April 2010, http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1346665.
[8] The video may still available at “Amir Muslim: 20 shakhidov gotovy k atakam,” accessed 25 August 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oViphLYlLYg and “Dvadtsat’ Shakhidov gotovy atakovat’ murtadov i kafirov,” Kavkaz tsentr, 6 July 2009, 12:28, http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2009/07/06/66610.shtml.
[9] Sergei Mashkin and Yulia Rybina, “Vzorvavsheesya zveno,” Kommersant, 1 April 2010, http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1346665.
[10] “Pis’mo modzhakhedov sostram, kotoryie trudyatsya na puti Allaha, k materyam, zhenam i docheryam Shakhidov,” Kavkaz tsentr, 16 March 2010, 21:32, http://www.kavkazcenter.com/russ/content/2010/03/16/71261.shtml.
[11] Sergei Mashkin and Yulia Rybina, “Vzorvavsheesya zveno,” Kommersant, 1 April 2010, http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1346665.
[12] Arkadii Maler, “Svyashennomuchenik Daniil Sysoev,” Russkii Zhurnal, 20 November 2009, 16:38, http://www.russ.ru/layout/set/print//Mirovaya-povestka/Svyaschennomuchennik-Daniil-Sysoev.
[13] “Ubitogo v Dagestane grazhdanina Kirgizii naiden pistolet, iz kotorogo byl zastrelen svyashchennik Sysoev,” Kavkaz uzel, 17 March 2010, 07:40, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166667/.
[14] “Khalifat – My odna umma,” ImamTV, accessed on Kavkaz tsentr, 27 March 2010, http://www.kavkazcenter.com.
[15] Akhmed Mogomedov, “FSB: v khode spetsoperatsii v Dagestane ibit emir Groznogo,” Kavkaz uzel, 22 March 2010, 10:15, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166855/.
[16] Muslim Ibragimov, “Ubityi v Makhachkale amir Groznogo gotovil terakty v Chechne, utverzhdayut siloviki,” Kavkaz uzel, 23 Marxh 2010, 09:30, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166893/ and Akhmed Mogomedov, “FSB: v khode spetsoperatsii v Dagestane ubit emir Groznogo,” Kavkaz uzel, 22 March 2010, 10:15, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166855/.
[17] “Ubityi v Makhachkale amir Groznogo gotovil terakty v Chechne, utverzhdayut siloviki,” Kavkaz uzel, 23 Marxh 2010, 09:30, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166893/.
[18] “Odin iz ubitykh v Chechne boevikov otvechal za bezopasnost’ Umarov, zayavil Kadyrov,” Kavkaz uzel, 18 March 2010, 16:35, http://krasnodar.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166736/.
[19] “Amir Tashu Kazbek: My rabotaem na puti Allakha v sootvetsvii s konkretnym planom, a bespredel kafirov – svidetel’stvo ikh bessiliya,” Islamdin.com, 9 February 2010, 16:31, http://www.islamdin.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=642:2010-02-09-16-42-51&catid=25:2009-02-09-17-15-12&Itemid=17.
[20] “Mudzhakhidy iz”yali shpionskoe oborudovanie kafirov v pos. Neitrino,” Islamdin.com, 5 February 2010, 19:28, http://www.islamdin.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=637:2010-02-05-19-36-54&catid=2:kavkaz&Itemid=3.
[21] “Amir Tashu Kazbek: My rabotaem na puti Allakha v sootvetsvii s konkretnym planom, a bespredel kafirov – svidetel’stvo ikh bessiliya,” Islamdin.com, 9 February 2010, 16:31, http://www.islamdin.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=642:2010-02-09-16-42-51&catid=25:2009-02-09-17-15-12&Itemid=17.
[22] “Amir Tashu Kazbek: My rabotaem na puti Allakha v sootvetsvii s konkretnym planom, a bespredel kafirov – svidetel’stvo ikh bessiliya,” Islamdin.com, 9 February 2010, 16:31, http://www.islamdin.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=642:2010-02-09-16-42-51&catid=25:2009-02-09-17-15-12&Itemid=17.
[23] “Amir Tashu Kazbek: My rabotaem na puti Allakha v sootvetsvii s konkretnym planom, a bespredel kafirov – svidetel’stvo ikh bessiliya,” Islamdin.com, 9 February 2010, 16:31, http://www.islamdin.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=642:2010-02-09-16-42-51&catid=25:2009-02-09-17-15-12&Itemid=17.
[24] “Amir Tashu Kazbek: My rabotaem na puti Allakha v sootvetsvii s konkretnym planom, a bespredel kafirov – svidetel’stvo ikh bessiliya,” Islamdin.com, 9 February 2010, 16:31, http://www.islamdin.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=642:2010-02-09-16-42-51&catid=25:2009-02-09-17-15-12&Itemid=17.
[25] “Amir Tashu Kazbek: My rabotaem na puti Allakha v sootvetsvii s konkretnym planom, a bespredel kafirov – svidetel’stvo ikh bessiliya,” Islamdin.com, 9 February 2010, 16:31, http://www.islamdin.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=642:2010-02-09-16-42-51&catid=25:2009-02-09-17-15-12&Itemid=17.
[26] Президент Ингушетии встретился с родственниками укрывавших Саида Бурятского, Kavkaz uzel, март 07 2010, 00:55, www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166249/.
[27] “V Dagestane neodnoznachnovosprinyali ideyu sozdaniya vysshego koordinatsionnogo soveta musul’man,” Kavkaz uzel, 18 March 2010, 17:35, http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/166739/.
[28] “Said Abu Saad c chest’yu otdal svoyu zhizn’ v boyu,” Crimean.org, accessed 28 March 2010, http://crimean.org/islam/show.asp?NewsID=22340.
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The Islam, Islamism and Politics in Eurasia Report (IIPER) is a project of the Monterey Terrorism and Research and Education Program (MonTREP) at the Monterey Institute for International Studies (MIIS). It focuses on all politically-relevant issues involving or bearing on Islam and ethnic Muslim communities in Russia and Eurasia writ large. All issues of IIPER are available at: www.miis.edu/academics/researchcenters/terrorism/research/Hahn/IIPER. IIPER welcomes submissions of 1,500-6,000 words on any aspect of Islamic politics in Eurasia and financial contributions to support the project. For related inquiries or to request to be included on IIPER’s mailing list, please contact gordon.hahn@miis.edu or gordon-hahn@sbcglobal.net.
IIPER is compiled, edited and, unless indicated otherwise, written by Dr. Gordon M. Hahn. Dr. Hahn is Senior Researcher at the Monterey Terrorism Research and Education Program and Visiting Assistant Professor, Graduate School of International Policy Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, California. He is also a Senior Researcher, Center for Terrorism and Intelligence Studies (CETIS), Akribis Group and Analyst/Consultant for Russia Other Points of View – Russia Media Watch, http://www.russiaotherpointsofview.com. He teaches courses on politics and terrorism in Russia and Eurasia and MIIS. Dr. Hahn is the author of two well-received books, Russia’s Islamic Threat (Yale University Press, 2007) and Russia’s Revolution From Above (Transaction, 2002), which was named an outstanding title of 2007 by Choice magazine. He has authored hundreds of articles in scholarly journals and other publications on Russian, Eurasian and international politics
MonTREP Greaduate Research Assistants Leo Naboyshchikov, Daniel Painter, and Daria Ushakova provide research assistance.